Northern California dog owner attacked with swords; assailant steals pet for girlfriend, police say

A Ukiah dog owner suffered life-threatening injuries after two Mendocino County men attacked him with swords on New Year’s Eve and stole the pet for one of the attackers’ girlfriend, police said Tuesday.

Adam Smith and Pete Gonzales, both 23, are each charged with attempted murder, robbery and assault, according to Mendocino County Superior Court records. Arrested on Jan. 1, both were arraigned Tuesday and are in custody at the Mendocino County jail in lieu of $1 million bail.

They’re accused of attacking the 33-year-old dog owner about 3:45 p.m. Dec. 31 in the 900 block of South State Street. According to Ukiah police, the victim was lured behind a building where “Smith drew a large sword from a sheath, and Gonzales pulled out a machete.”

Smith is accused of stabbing the man in his chest while they wrestled for the weapon. Gonzales is suspected of stabbing the back of his neck before the pair ran away with the dog and man’s backpack. Officials did not identify the dog’s age or breed, or whether its owner knew Smith and Gonzales.

Officers found the “incoherent” man bleeding from the neck, chest and hand, police said. Paramedics took him to Adventist Health Ukiah Valley, where he was in “extremely critical condition and might not survive his injuries.”

Police said they confronted Smith at his Ukiah home after using surveillance footage and social media to identify him as a suspect. They discovered Smith shaved his head to conceal his identity, wanted the dog for his girlfriend, and Gonzales was the other suspect.

Gonzales was arrested shortly after and faces additional charges of possessing methamphetamine, records show.

Police said they found the dog and Smith’s blood-splattered home after searching a home in downtown Ukiah. They didn’t specify who lived at the home.

You can reach Staff Writer Colin Atagi at colin.atagi@pressdemocrat.com.