Two Santa Rosa teens convicted in knife attack at transit mall

Two men were convicted Wednesday on felony assault charges for their role in a knife attack last year at the Santa Rosa Public Transit Mall.

Prosecutors had charged Jaime Gonzalez, 18, and Cuahtemoc Delrio Partida, 17, both of Santa Rosa, in the April 17 attack of a 17-year-old man who had dropped out of their criminal street gang.

Gonzalez pleaded no contest to felony assault with a knife, and further admitted sentencing enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury upon the victim and committing the assault in association with a criminal street gang, which could result in additional prison time beyond that single count.

Partida pleaded guilty to one count of felony assault, and also admitted a gang allegation. The pleas were entered before Judge Jamie Thistlethwaite.

“This was a brazen attack in a public space. The motive was simply to intimidate the victim to benefit a criminal street gang, and this predatory conduct will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch said in a statement.

The two accosted the victim for dropping out of their street gang after the recent birth of his daughter, authorities said. The victim had attempted to walk away, but Gonzalez and Partida blocked his path and started beating him.

A bus driver attempted to break up the fight, but Gonzalez then slugged the driver in the face. Gonzalez went back to beating the victim and then brandished a knife and slashed the left side of his face, which required 28 sutures to close.

During a preliminary hearing for the two, gang members called as prosecution witnesses refused to testify against the defendants.

Gonzalez will be sentenced April 21, while Partida will be sentenced April 7.

You can reach Staff Writer Bill Swindell at 521-5223 or bill.swindell@pressdemocrat.com. ?On Twitter @BillSwindell.