Willits Man Arrested on Suspicion of Attempted Murder, Elder Abuse
WILLITS, CA — A Willits man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, elder abuse, and other charges after allegedly attacking his elderly former housemate.
According to a press release by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded at about just after 12 a.m. on Friday, Mar. 13, to the 27000 block of Hawk Drive in Willits following a report of an assault.
A neighbor had reported that a 72-year-old Willits woman had crawled to their residence seeking help after being assaulted, the sheriff’s office said. The suspect was identified as Don Wiltse, 38, of Willits.
Willits PD officers reportedly arrived first and provided initial aid. Medical personnel determined the victim sustained facial injuries consistent with strangulation and fractures to her lower extremities.
She was transported to a local hospital and later transferred to an out-of-county hospital for further treatment, according to authorities.
After meeting with the victim at the hospital, the sheriff’s office began investigating the incident as a case of attempted murder. Meanwhile, Willits police officers remained near the residence and observed Wiltse walking in the driveway. He was detained pending further investigation.
Authorities reported that while being detained, Wiltse allegedly made threats toward a police officer and a deputy sheriff.
Investigators said an argument between Wiltse and the victim escalated into a physical assault inside the residence. Wiltse allegedly chased the victim into her bedroom, strangled her and threatened to kill her. The victim attempted to call 911, but Wiltse reportedly took her phone. She then jumped from a window approximately 9 feet above the ground and crawled to a neighbor’s residence to seek help.
Deputies obtained a search warrant for the home and collected evidence consistent with the reported assault.
In an update to their initial press release, the sheriff’s office clarified that Wiltse and the victim had lived together prior to the incident.
Wiltse was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, assault likely to cause great bodily injury, assault causing serious bodily injury, criminal threats, elder abuse causing great bodily injury, threatening or resisting a peace officer by force, and removing a wireless communication device to prevent contacting law enforcement.
He was booked into the Mendocino County Jail and is being held on $1,205,000 bail.
The investigation remains ongoing.
