The State - News from Oct. 15, 1987

A Riverside man who stormed a Pacific Bell telephone office and peppered equipment with shotgun fire, cutting off phone service in the area, was found innocent of the $6-million attack by reason of insanity. Antonio Apodaca, 47, who said he was seething with “ugly thoughts of violence,” had been involved in a dispute with the phone company over disability payments prior to the April 13 incident. He pleaded guilty to three counts of assault with a deadly weapon, three counts of false imprisonment, one count of burglary and one count of destroying equipment. Riverside Superior Court Judge Thomas E. Hollenhorst then found him innocent by reason of insanity, ruling he was unable to tell right from wrong. Under California law, Apodaca had to plead guilty before such a ruling could be made. Hollenhorst ordered Apodaca to remain in custody in lieu of $250,000 bail pending a hearing on what type of treatment he should receive.