Contributed Photo/Courtesy GCSO: Ric Sandoval, 30, was arrested and booked into jail on charges of aggravated assault and disorderly conduct.
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – A man was arrested on Sunday, July 25, after allegedly stabbing his relative with an ignition key fob during an altercation.
Ric Sandoval, 30, was arrested and booked into the Graham County Adult Detention Facility on charges of aggravated assault and disorderly conduct. The following day, a warrant for his arrest was issued out of Cochise County Superior Court regarding charges of theft of means of transportation, trafficking in stolen property, unlawful use of means of transportation, theft, and fraudulent schemes/artifices. According to online court records, Sandoval had signed a plea agreement in the Cochise County case and posted a $5,000 bond, however, he failed to show for sentencing and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
On Sunday, officers were dispatched at about 7:14 p.m. to a residence on 12th Street regarding males fighting in the street.
Upon arrival, officers located a man with blood on his mouth and, soon after, Sandoval with a partial black eye. Both men, who are related, refused to cooperate with law enforcement and claimed a third party had injured them. Officers were then called to a separate, unrelated domestic call.
After clearing the second domestic call, officers were again dispatched back to the residence on 12th Street, this time due to a male being stabbed.
Sandoval was located in a black Toyota truck at the scene. Upon exiting the truck, officers noted he wasn’t wearing a shirt and there was blood all over his body.
With EMS on the way, the victim walked out of the house and was also covered in blood, according to the report. The victim apparently had multiple lacerations to his head, which were caused by a Hyundai key fob later found in Sandoval’s pocket. During interrogation, Sandoval allegedly pulled the bloody key fob from his pocket and gave it to an officer to preserve as evidence.
While neither man spoke to officers regarding their injuries, a third witness advised seeing the entire altercation. The witness advised the men had lied to officers during the first visit and that they had been fighting each other. When the police left, Sandoval allegedly re-engaged in the altercation and eventually grabbed a key from his pocket and began to strike the victim in the head multiple times.
After being evaluated at the scene, the victim traveled to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center by private transport for further treatment.
Sandoval was also treated at MGRMC and was then released into police custody and was booked into jail.
