A 34-year-old Santa Rosa man was arrested Sunday evening for stabbing his brother with a folding knife. Deputies responded to the 800 block of Yuba Drive in Santa Rosa on a 911 call of a reported stabbing incident at about 5:30 PM on Sunday night.
Upon arrival, deputies found a family altercation in progress. A 28-year-old man had two stab wounds, one to his forearm and another to his shoulder blade. The victim identified his brother, 34-year-old parolee Gary Pickard as the suspect. Pickard was on scene and cooperated with deputies who were able to take him into custody peacefully.
During the course of the investigation it was determined Pickard, his brother, mother, grandmother and the victim’s girlfriend all live together in the home. Pickard was suspected of using methamphetamine and hadn’t slept in about four days. On Saturday he took his grandmother’s car without permission and later returned it. An argument ensued about his use of the car but ended peacefully.
On Sunday night the victim and the victim’s girlfriend sat down on a couch on the front porch and found that Pickard had previously sprayed it with pepper spray which caused burning sensations to their skin.
The victim then engaged in a verbal altercation with Pickard in front of their home at which point Pickard pulled out and unfolded a knife. He then stabbed his brother twice, once in a forearm and once in the back at the shoulder blade. They continued to yell at each other while family members called 911.
The victim was quickly treated by an ambulance crew that had staged in the area and was taken to a local hospital where he is expected to survive his injuries.
Pickard was arrested and is being held without bail in the Sonoma County Jail on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and a parole hold.
