BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — After climbing to the roof of Mercy Plaza Pharmacy, Raymond Valenzuela lobbed rocks onto the street and refused to come down. When police arrived, he waved a machete and said he would cut the throat of any officers who tried to arrest him, court documents say.
He told police he wanted to die. Officers took him into custody after a four-hour standoff.
Valenzuela, 44, has been found incompetent to stand trial and criminal proceedings against him have been suspended, prosecutors said. A hearing is scheduled July 7 where the court will receive additional information from Kern Behavioral Health on where Valenzuela should be placed.
Upon being found incompetent, a defendant is held at a state hospital and receives psychiatric treatment and medication until restored to competency, at which point criminal proceedings are reinstated. Valenzuela was charged with 12 crimes, including assault with a deadly weapon, vandalism and resisting arrest.
During the May 4 standoff, a rock shattered the rear windshield of a city employee’s vehicle and rocks ranging in size from golf balls to softballs rained down on the 2400 block of Eye Street, the reports say. Valenzuela said he had been using drugs the past week and collected rocks and put them in his backpack before ascending the building, according to the documents.
Police searched the backpack and found a clear jar containing several syringes, one of which contained suspected heroin, the documents say.
Valenzuela is held on $325,000 bail.
