Chowchilla man gets 25 years to life for Madera stabbing

A Chowchilla man was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison Friday for stabbing a man in Madera in March, the Madera County District Attorney’s Office said.

Cruz Sandoval, 40, pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon.

The Madera Police Department responded on March 26 to a report of a stabbing at C and Sixth streets. Officers found the victim, Valentine Cruz, sitting on a bench covered in blood.

He suffered a laceration to his neck about six inches long and had injuries to the left side of his torso, police said.

Witnesses gave officers a description and direction of the suspect, which led them to Sandoval.

When they approached him, Sandoval threw a bloody weapon from his jacket, police said. They described it as two scissor blades with a white cloth and twine wrapped around to hold them together. Sandoval had blood on his hands.

Sandoval had three prior strike convictions for assault with a deadly weapon and participating in a street gang.

This story was originally published October 7, 2015 at 8:27 PM with the headline "Chowchilla man gets 25 years to life for Madera stabbing."