LAKE ELSINORE: Man arrested after early-morning stabbing
LAKE ELSINORE — A reported early-morning stabbing resulted in one man hospitalized and another arrested, Monday, May 22. The incident happened in the area of Buena Vista Street and Grand Avenue in the Lakeland Village community of Lake Elsinore.
Sheriff’s deputes investigating the violent assault located and detained a man shortly after they arrived at the scene, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Joaquin Casanas explained in a written press release after the incident and arrest.
Christopher Smith was arrested after he allegedly stabbed another man in Lake Elsinore.
After an investigation, authorities arrested the man, who was later identified as Christopher David Smith, 38, of Lake Elsinore. He was booked into the Southwest Detention Center on suspicion of attempted murder as well as charges of receiving and possessing stolen property.
Deputies from the Riverside Sheriff’s Department Lake Elsinore Police Station responded to the incident about 7:41 a.m., after 911 callers reported an assault that had just occurred.
When they arrived, deputies found a 35-year-old Lake Elsinore resident suffering from a “stab wound to the left forearm,” said Casanas.
While medical personnel treated the victim, deputies began searching for a man described by the victim and witnesses.
Based on the provided descriptions, deputies quickly spotted and detained Smith as he was walking eastbound on Buena Vista Street, just a short distance from where the stabbing occurred. Smith was apprehended without incident, according to Casanas.
AMR medics transported the victim to an area hospital, where he was treated for his injuries. He is expected to survive.
At the conclusion of their investigation, deputies arrested Smith.
The investigation is ongoing.
An online jail records search revealed Smith is being held on $1 million bail and is scheduled to be arraigned at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta tomorrow, May 24.
Anyone with information about this investigation or who witnessed the fatal shooting is encouraged to contact Deputy Jackson at 951-245-3300, or after hours at (951) 776-1099. Callers can refer to incident file number F171420023 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.
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Trevor Montgomery runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News and Anza Valley Outlook and also writes for Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg and breaking his back in an off-duty accident.
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 26 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and has 13 children and 12 – soon to be 13 – grandchildren.