Tuesday, July 18, 2006 • Attempted murder charge dropped, Dangler enters plea to assault with a deadly weapon

Publisher’s note: This story originally appeared in the Tuesday, July 18, 2006 edition of the Lassen County Times.

The district attorney dismissed a charge of attempted murder against a Susanville man who allegedly stabbed the victim in the neck with a broken bottle.

District Attorney Bob Burns made the motion to dismiss the attempted murder charge after Arren W. Dangler, 22, entered a guilty plea on Tuesday, July 11 to a charge of assault with a deadly weapon and now faces up to three years in prison at sentencing set for 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29. Burns amended the assault with a deadly weapon charge to delete the reference to force likely to produce great bodily injury.

Dangler admitted stabbing 42-year-old Plasador Martinez, of Susanville, in the neck during an early afternoon party on Monday, March 6. However, when Lassen County Superior Court Judge Stephen Bradbury asked Dangler what he did, Dangler said he stabbed Martinez in the process of defending Jennifer Nelson. Bradbury said it sounded like Dangler was claiming justifiable defense of another.

Burns said Martinez did “apply some force” to Nelson. Nelson’s boyfriend, Jim Petropolous, testified at Dangler’s April 25 preliminary hearing, saying Martinez jabbed his finger into Nelson’s chest, followed by a punch making her stumble back.

The incident occurred at approximately 1 p.m. March 6 after a group of people had been drinking and socializing inside one of the apartments near the alley at 1500 First Street.

According to a press release by Police Chief Chris Gallagher, an argument between several of the subjects accelerated into a pushing and shoving match.

In response to Martinez’ use of force, Dangler said he picked up a bottle, broke it and stabbed Martinez in the neck with the broken glass.

Burns said at trial Dangler might be “questionably successful raising the fact that the victim has a tendency toward violence. It’s questionable which way the jury would go.”

Bradbury concluded Dangler was substantially motivated to plea to the lesser charge by the fact that attempted murder carries a much longer maximum possible prison term of life with the possibility of parole. Bradbury found there was a factual basis for the plea.

He also told Dangler the plea will give him a strike under California’s three strikes law, meaning the punishment will double for any future felony convictions.

Dangler remains in custody at the Lassen County Jail. Bail was set at $60,000.