A Saugus man pleaded not guilty to assault with a deadly weapon Tuesday, after the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office alleged he used a knife against another motorist in an incident partially captured with cellphone footage last month.
Michael Anthony Cantu, 34, was arrested Sept. 15 after Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies identified him as their suspect in a confrontation between two drivers in the right-turn lane on Newhall Ranch Road, approaching Home Depot Plaza.
The footage shared with The Signal shows two motorists — a man standing next to his sedan, gesturing to another man parked behind him who had just gotten out of his blue truck.
The two appear to be arguing when the alleged assailant takes a step back and then slashes at the alleged victim. The other man appears to look down at his hand as the camera pans away, and then both individuals get back into their respective vehicles and drive away.
The alleged victim pulled over near Baywood Lane and McBean Parkway, and he was later photographed being taken to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in an ambulance from that location around noon.
Deputies said they conducted a field investigation in order to help identify Cantu, whom deputies found in the 26400 block of Bouquet Canyon Road a few hours later, according to Deputy Mariela Picard, public information officer for the SCV Sheriff’s Station.
Cantu’s case was filed Sept. 29, and he entered his initial plea this week.
In addition to assault, prosecutors leveled several rules-of-court violations against Cantu, including that the allegation: was particularly violent; involved a weapon; followed an increasing pattern of violence; and he was on probation at the time of the new allegation.
He remains free on $30,000 bail pending his next court hearing at L.A. County Superior Court in San Fernando in November in front of Judge David Stuart.
Anyone with information about this incident can contact the SCV Sheriff’s Station at 661-260-4000. If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP on Google play or the Apple App Store or by using the website lacrimestoppers.org.
The partial video of the incident shared with The Signal can be viewed at: tinyurl.com/5fptv4dm.
The latest data from the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department indicates that violent crimes have seen a slight increase locally through the first eight months of the year. There were 286 violent Part-I crimes through August last year compared to 305 this year, in the most recent data available, a 6.6% uptick.
