Mental Health Eval Ordered For Cabazon Man Charged With Assault

BANNING, CA — Criminal proceedings were suspended Wednesday against a Cabazon man accused of attacking his mother and holding her against her, with a judge ordering the defendant to undergo a mental health evaluation.

Richard Anthony Diaz, 32, is charged with assault, false imprisonment and dissuading a witness.

Diaz was arrested March 20, 2018, following the alleged assault in the 14000 block of Marino Street. Diaz's 54-year-old mother went to the Cabazon sheriff's station at 9:42 a.m. that day and said her son had assaulted her, Riverside County Sheriff's Sgt. John Carlberg said.

In court Wednesday, Judge Mark Johnson granted a defense motion for Diaz to undergo an examination to determine if he is mentally competent to stand trial.

Diaz was originally arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, but prosecutors filed a lesser charge of assault with a deadly weapon -- his hands - - and the false imprisonment count. Prosecutors later amended the assault charge to assault on a person causing great bodily injury and added a felony count of dissuading a witness.

— By City News Service / Image via Riverside County Sheriff's Department