A man who prosecutors said tried to stab a Tucson police officer was convicted in Pima County Superior Court.
Juan Jose Ortega was found guilty Thursday of disorderly conduct in connection with his arrest in March.
Deputy Pima County Attorney Daniel South told jurors Ortega, 36, slashed at a police officer who had responded to a check welfare call from Ortega’s family, who were concerned he was suicidal.
“Instead of cooperating, Mr. Ortega takes out a knife and thrusts it at the police officer,” South said.
Tucson police officers testified that Ortega was seen standing on the roadside near Dodge Middle School at 5831 E. Pima St. early on the morning of March 21.
Officers approached Ortega, who then dropped something to the ground that later was identified as a syringe, they said.
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An officer approached him telling Ortega to take his hands from his pockets. Ortega was accused of pulling out a locking-blade knife and stabbing at the officer’s face.
Tucson police Officer Carter Wingate showed jurors how Ortega swung the knife at him, narrowly missing his head.
“Obviously, he was trying to stab me with it,” Wingate said.
The incident resulted in a more than three-hour-long standoff with police, that ultimately ended peacefully.
Defense attorney Vincent Frey argued Ortega was a threat only to himself.
“What Juan Ortega did was to simply threaten his own life,” Frey said, noting Ortega held the knife to his chest and throat and told police he wanted to kill himself.
Frey said Ortega had sent his sister a text message earlier the morning of the incident that she thought read like a suicide note.
She then called police to check on Ortega.
Frey also cast doubt on the prosecution’s argument that Ortega made threatening motions toward police with the knife.
Ortega is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 3.
