Southern California Man BRUTALLY ATTACKED AND STABBED IN THE HEAD by Neighbor, Remains in Hospital
A Southern California guy remains in the hospital after being viciously assaulted and stabbed in the head by his neighbor.
On July 22, the victim, Michael Roque, 35, left his Loma Linda condominium and was walking to his car on his way to work around 8:30 a.m.
That’s when Roque’s neighbor, Mark Eldridge, 37, reportedly approached him from behind and hit him in the head with a rock. He continued to beat Roque with the rock and attempted to cut his throat before stabbing him in the side of the face and head with a knife.
San Bernardino County deputies arrived on the scene and discovered Roque bleeding profusely on the ground.
“It was a nightmare,” explained Roque’s father, Raul Gomez. “That was the only way I could express it at the time. “You can’t believe this could happen.”
According to his family, Roque and the suspect had no prior acquaintance. He was taken to Loma Linda Medical Center and placed in an induced coma in the ICU. Gomez believes the suspect targeted Roque and waited for the proper time to strike.
Roque called authorities to report the assault. Around the same time, they received a call from Eldridge reporting a burglary in his residence.
Deputies eventually decided that Eldridge’s home “lacked forced entry or any evidence to suggest a break-in.”
However, evidence of the incident was discovered, and Eldridge was arrested on charges of assault with a deadly weapon. He was then detained at the West Valley Detention Center on attempted murder charges and is being jailed on $500,000 bail.
On Saturday, close ones said that Roque had awoken from his coma and was able to speak briefly, but he still appeared dazed and confused. Doctors said that a 3-4 inch part of the blade used to assault him was still buried inside his head.
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“Doctors told Michael that if they remove it, he will bleed out, and if they leave it there, it can cause infection and possibly kill him,” claimed Jaime Roque, the victim’s cousin, on a GoFundMe page. “Doctors have let Michael make the decision and he said to keep it in.”
According to loved ones, Roque previously worked at Loma Linda Medical Center before accepting a new position at UC Riverside. They’re hoping for a full recovery shortly.
“He’s a happy, fun-loving guy,” Gomez stated fondly of his son. “He loves life, his career, and his friends. “Just a great guy.”
According to KTLA The motivation for the terrible attack is still being investigated.