SAN DIEGO, CA — William Stephens, a 65-year-old man, has been ordered to stand trial for attempted murder after he was accused of intentionally driving his Jeep towards San Diego police officer Matthew Salisbury.
The incident occurred on January 23 when several officers, including Salisbury, responded to a domestic violence report at Stephens’ home in Point Loma.
During a preliminary hearing, prosecutors presented evidence claiming that as Officer Salisbury approached the driveway, Stephens accelerated toward him.
In an attempt to avoid being hit, Salisbury sought refuge behind a bush near the driveway’s entrance.
Stephens then reportedly maneuvered his Jeep towards the bush, colliding with Salisbury, before crashing into a nearby mailbox and another parked vehicle on the street.
The impact caused Salisbury to sustain severe injuries, including fractures to one of his legs and a dislocated knee.
The call to police was made by Stephens’ wife, who had alleged that her husband threatened her and had cut her hand with a knife.
She testified during the hearing that tension had been escalating in the days leading up to the incident due to Stephens’ frustration over a federal job he held that was eliminated by the Trump administration’s hiring freeze.
Throughout the previous days, she noted receiving a series of troubling text messages from him that made her fear for her safety.
This prompted her to stay at her sister’s home on the night of January 22, but she returned with her sister to the Stephens household the following morning.
There, they found Stephens inside and observed that he appeared extremely angry, demanding that they leave.
According to his wife’s testimony, Stephens threatened, “Somebody’s going to get hurt. Nobody’s taking me seriously.”
He then brandished a knife from the kitchen and stated, “Maybe now you’ll take me seriously,” prompting her to put her hand in a defensive gesture, which resulted in a cut when she tried to grab the blade.
Both women exited the house to call 911, during which Stephens allegedly seized the phone from his wife’s hand and threw it to the ground.
Footage from body-worn cameras worn by the responding officers was shown at the hearing, capturing the moment of impact where the Jeep struck Salisbury.
After colliding with the officer, Stephens exited his vehicle but was quickly subdued by multiple officers on the scene and handcuffed.
In defense, Deputy Public Defender Brianne Murphy claimed there was no clear indication that Stephens intended to hit the officer and suggested that he might not have even seen Salisbury.
Murphy argued that given his wife’s and sister-in-law’s account of his behavior leading up to the incident, he was likely heavily intoxicated, suggesting he was in a “blind rage” and merely trying to flee.
However, San Diego Superior Court Judge Daniel Goldstein refuted this argument, highlighting that Stephens had ample room to drive around the officers yet chose to steer sharply towards the bush where Salisbury was positioned.
The case will now proceed to trial as the legal processes continue to unfold in this serious matter.
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