A transient who lives in the Santa Clara River wash was officially charged Thursday with attempted murder after he allegedly grabbed a woman jogging along a Valencia bike path, and then strangled her until she passed out.
Colton Ford, 29, appeared Thursday in San Fernando Superior Court where he was charged with one count of attempted willful, deliberate and premeditated murder with an allegation that the defendant inflicted great bodily injury upon a victim 70 years of age or older.
On Monday, Ford allegedly crossed paths with the victim and allegedly grabbed her and began to strangle her until she became unconscious, Ricardo Santiago, spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release issued Thursday.
“Cyclists riding on the bike path near Creekside Road and Auto Center Drive allegedly saw the defendant standing over the victim and proceeded to call police and keep him away from the woman,” he said.
Ford, who remains in custody with bail set at more than $1 million, faces a possible maximum sentence of twenty years to life in state prison, if convicted.
The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Santa Clarita Station.
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