Menifee Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Freeway Attack

A Menifee man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for the attempted murder of a toddler and an assault of two adults during a May 11 attack on the shoulder of Interstate 215 in Menifee.

Nicolas Lopez Garcia, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, said John Hall of the Riverside County District Attorney's Office. According to CHP and court records, Garcia ran up to a disabled vehicle stopped alongside the northbound 215 Freeway near the Newport Road exit and broke out one or more windows. According to the CHP report, he then began stabbing an 18-month-old boy with a broken freeway sign paddle marker and slashed the adults when they came to the child's aid.

When CHP officers arrived, they observed the suspect setting fire to belongings of the family. He was taken into custody at that point. The victims were treated for non-life threatening injuries.

In today's hearing at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, the judge ruled that Garcia must serve 85 percent of his 15-year sentence -- nearly 13 years -- before being eligible for parole. All three counts are strikes against him in the judicial system.

Garcia was originally listed in crime reports as being a resident of the Romoland community of Menifee. In court documents this week, he is listed as being a resident of the Sun City community of Menifee.