Kings County detectives investigate and arrest suspect in Hanford orchard stabbing incident

The incident occurred on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at about noon when Kings County deputies responded to the area of Highway 198 and 1 ½ Avenue to find the stabbing victim, a 56-year-old male lying in a field with a back wound.

The victim told deputies he was struck in the back with a pair of pruning shears and identified the assailant as his co-worker, the suspect Sergio Gonzalez DeLosSantos.

Deputies requested the assistance of the department’s detectives who responded and contacted DeLosSantos.  During the investigation, the detectives determined that the suspect had consumed several 12-oz cans of Budweiser and snorted Methamphetamine throughout the workday while working in the orchard. 

At one point, while trimming trees, detectives say that DeLosSantos began hallucinating and yelling at the victim about killing his son.  According to detectives, the suspect, DeLosSantos, took a pair of pruning shears and stabbed the victim in the back, causing a large laceration.

The victim was transported to Kaweah Delta Medical Center and was treated for his injuries.  

Officers transported DeLosSantos to the Kings County Jail where he was booked for suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and being under the influence of a controlled substance. His bail was set at $30,000.