FILLMORE : Assault Suspect Said He Has AIDS Virus

A Fillmore man who told authorities that he is infected with the virus that causes AIDS is scheduled to be arraigned today in Newhall Municipal Court for allegedly scratching, punching and attempting to bite an emergency room physician.

David Detoth, 45, remained in custody Tuesday in the jail ward of Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center in lieu of $20,000 bail. He was listed in stable condition after complaining of a variety of ailments, including a stomach ulcer.

Detoth will be arraigned on one count of assaulting a medical doctor, but could face an additional charge of assault with intent to do great bodily injury if he tests HIV-positive, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Brad Stone.

“That obviously would make a difference,” Stone said. “If it turns out this guy is HIV-positive, we’re going to re-evalute the case with that added factor.”

Detoth was brought to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital in Valencia on Saturday night by a friend and was apparently crying out in pain, said Detective Howard Fairchild of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Detoth became enraged about 9:50 p.m. when the hospital staff refused to give him painkillers, the detective said.

“He got crazy and attacked the doctor,” Fairchild said, adding that Detoth later “bragged ‘I’ve been HIV since 1983.’ ”

During the scuffle, the doctor was scratched and punched several times in the head and face but managed to fend off Detoth’s attempts to bite him by pulling back on the attacker’s hair, Fairchild said.

Still, Stone said there was concern for the well-being of the doctor after the alleged attack.

“They were both scratched up and bleeding all over the place,” he said.

The doctor’s identity was not disclosed. Hospital spokeswoman Cathleen Lee said hospital policy prohibits releasing information about the doctor, the patient or the alleged incident.

Authorities said Detoth would be asked during his arraignment to submit voluntarily to an HIV test. If he refuses, Stone said his office would request that the court order him to submit.