Staff Reports
Kern County Supervisor Zack Scrivner was stabbed during a family altercation late Tuesday night in his Tehachapi home and is at an undisclosed location while the Kern County Sheriff investigates the incident.
Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said at a press conference Wednesday that Scrivner was apparently stabbed by one of his children over allegations of sexual assault of another of his four children.
“A physical altercation had occurred over allegations Zack had sexually assault one of his children,” Youngblood said
“The child was protecting another child from what he believed occurred,” Youngblood said.
No arrests have been made and no charges have been filed. Youngblood said a forensic evaluation is underway to confirm if a sexual assault in fact did occur.
An attorney for Scrivner, H.A. Sala, vehemently denied any wrongdoing by his client.
Scrivener was treated at Kern Medical for what Youngblood described as two non-life-threatening stab wounds to his upper torso and is at an undisclosed location, Youngblood said Wednesday.
Youngblood said he was alerted to the incident about 11 p.m. Tuesday by a phone call from Kern County District attorney Cynthia Zimmer, Scrivner’s aunt.
“She was concerned about her nephew because he was having some type of psychotic episode and was armed with a gun,” Youngblood said.
Youngblood said he called the KCSO communications center and had deputies sent to the scene
A short time later Zimmer called him back and said Scrivner had been disarmed.
Responding deputies were told Scrivner was “armed and suicidal,” Youngblood said.
Deputies arrived at Scrivner’s home in the Golden Hills neighborhood of Tehachapi, and secured the firearm and began an investigation, the sheriff said. Detectives were also called in and a search warrant was obtained.
During the search, deputies found and seized about 30 guns, a small portion of psychedelic mushrooms, electronics, and possible evidence of assault and sexual assault. Forensic evidence was also seized for examination, Youngblood said.
Scrivner, his children and his parents were at the home when deputies arrived Scrivner and his wife are separated and a divorce is underway.
Because Kern County’s District Attorney if Scrivner’s aunt, Youngblood said both the California Attorney General and the Tulare County District Attorney have been contacted. Detectives were at Scrivner’s house through the night and into Wednesday. Television footage showed investigators removing several bags and cases of evidence.
Youngblood said Kern County prosecutions in the past have been sent to Tulare County if there is a conflict of interest.
Scrivner, 50, has been the Second District Supervisor on the Kern County Board of Supervisors since 2010. Before that he was a Bakersfield City Councilman.
The district underwent a major realignment several years ago and now includes Taft and Maricopa in addition to the Frazier Park area, Tehachapi, Rosamond and much of Kern County desert including Mojave, California City and Mojave.
