Two arrested in Merced stabbing
A 24-year-old Merced man was stabbed in the arm Monday in a fight with two suspected gang members who ran away after the attack, authorities said.
The victim suffered injuries that were not life-threatening when he was attacked about midnight in the 300 block of South Parsons Avenue by a man and woman who accused him of belonging to a rival gang, the Merced Police Department said. The suspects were arrested a short time later, police said.
“At this time, it does not appear the victim belongs to any gangs,” Sgt. Jay Struble said in a telephone interview.
The suspects, Aaron R. Ortez Jr., 19, and Bianca M. Vaca, 21, also known as Blanca Vaca, were booked into the Merced County Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy and criminal street gang participation, according to jail booking records.
Vaca was still in custody Monday afternoon at the John Latorraca Correctional Facility. Ortez remained in custody at the Merced County Jail. Bail for both suspects was set at $85,000, according to booking records.
Police said the attackers fled to a nearby home after stabbing the man in the arm. Officers tracked them to a unit in the Grove Apartment complex, where the suspects were taken into custody without further incident.
It was unclear whether the knife believed to have been used in the attack had been recovered. Police said the case remains under investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Merced Police Department at (209) 385-4702 or the police Tipster Line at (209) 385-4725. The public can send information via anonymous text message to the Police Department by dialing “TIP411” (847411) and including the word “ComVIP” as the keyword in the message.
This story was originally published January 12, 2015 at 12:04 PM with the headline "Two arrested in Merced stabbing."