Man charged in Santa Rosa park bench stabbing

A suspect was charged Thursday with assault with a deadly weapon for stabbing a man who was sitting on a city park bench.

Felipe Peralta, 24, of Santa Rosa, had originally been booked into the Sonoma County Jail early Wednesday on suspicion of attempted murder.

“Maybe the prosecution realized even if the allegations are true, in order to prove attempted murder you need a specific intent to kill,” said Public Defender Kathleen Pozzi, who is representing Peralta.

Peralta allegedly stabbed a 51-year-old Santa Rosa man in the chest Tuesday night as the victim was sitting on bench at Martin Luther King Park, police said.

The victim, whom police declined to identify, survived after being taken to a local hospital.

Police have not cited a motive in the case.

-Bill Swindell