SANTA PAULA : 19-Year-Old Held in Stabbing Incident

A 19-year-old man told police he acted in self-defense Sunday evening when he stabbed a 27-year-old man in the back during a fight in Santa Paula.

Manuel Ruiz of Santa Paula was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. He was being held in the Ventura County Jail on $5,000 bail.

Ruiz turned himself in to police and told them he stabbed Jaime Rios of Santa Paula about 9:50 p.m. during a fight in the 100 block of South 7th Street, said Santa Paula Police Cmdr. Bob Gonzales.

The confrontation allegedly began after Rios drove his car onto the curb of a street near where Ruiz and his two friends were standing, Gonzales said.

Ruiz apparently believed that Rios was someone else, and the two started arguing, Gonzales said.

Rios and his passenger, Rufugio Martines of Santa Paula, tried to avoid the confrontation and entered a nearby house they had come to visit, he said.

The two came out of the house a few minutes later, and another confrontation took place. Ruiz stabbed Rios once in the back, Gonzales said.

A witness noticed the disturbance and called police. When officers arrived, the suspects fled, Gonzales said.

Ruiz surrendered to police about an hour later.

Rios was treated at Santa Paula Memorial Hospital and released, a hospital spokeswoman said.