Man accused in San Francisco BART stabbing charged with attempted murder
A man accused of stabbing a woman on board a BART train in San Francisco earlier this month is expected to be appear in court on multiple charges Tuesday, including attempted murder.
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced Tuesday that 34-year-old Jovany Portades will be arraigned at the Hall of Justice at 1:30 p.m. Portades has been charged with one count of attempted murder, along with allegations he used a deadly weapon, that he inflicted great bodily injury and that he is ineligible for probation.
"Public transit systems must be safe for all passengers," said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. "The brutal unprovoked attack of a woman on a BART train in San Francisco was tragic and truly shocking. This incident sent chills across the Bay Area as we live in a deeply interconnected region where what happens in one jurisdiction echoes across city and county lines."
According to prosecutors, Portades boarded an Antioch-bound train at the Balboa Park station in San Francisco on the morning of Nov. 2. On the train, Portades allegedly attacked a female passenger as the train approached the 24th Street Mission station.
During the attack, Portades allegedly attacked the victim from behind with a knife, slashing her neck, face and mouth. He ran off the train at the 24th Street Mission station.
The victim received help from BART and San Francisco police officers. She was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Police said the attack appeared to be unprovoked.
The next day, Portades was spotted by a station agent at the Fruitvale BART station in Oakland and was arrested without incident.
Prosecutors said they are moving to have Portades detained pending trial, citing a risk to public safety.
"My office will do everything in our power to fight for justice in the courtroom for the victim in this case while we continue to make our neighborhoods, public transit and region safer," Jenkins said.
Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to call the BART Police Department's tip line at 510-464-7000 or BART Police at 510-200-0992.