UPDATE: Pitchfork Attack Being Investigated as Homicide

NOTE: This article was amended at 10:35 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22, 2013 to add quotes from a broadcast on KTVU-TV about the incident.

UPDATE: 3 p.m. Aug. 22, 2013

Napa County is investigating an alleged pitchfork attack at a Lake Berryessa-area development as a homicide, a detective said today.

"It was a serious attack," said Napa County Sheriff's Detective Todd Hancock, who is in charge of the investigation. "We're essentially treating it as if it were a homicide because of the severity of the injuries."


The alleged attack occurred Aug. 13 at the Berryessa Highlands during a fight between some temporary renters of one of the units and neighbors of the rental home.

Witnesses said the confrontation developed when the renters were asked to turn down their loud noise by the neighbors. One of the renters, allegedly Steven Belmont of El Dorado County, grabbed a pitchfork during the ensuing melee and allegedly struck a neighbor in the head.

Belmont, arrested Aug. 16 on numerous charges including attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, is currently free after posting bond Tuesday night on his $1 million in bail, Hancock said. His preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 2 in Napa County Superior Court.

Another suspect, Tim Anderson of Santa Cruz County, was held briefly on a citizen's arrest on suspicion of misdemeanor battery. He posted bond on bail of $5,000 shortly after his arrest on Aug. 13.

The victim, Roy Powell, remains in an intensive care unit of a local hospital, Hancock said. He declined details on the specific hospital out of respect for the family's privacy, Hancock said.

According to a newscast at 10:35 p.m. Thursday on KTVU-TV in San Francisco,  Powell is in a medically induced coma and the full impact of his injuries is not immediately known.

The broadcast included an interview with Powell's wife, Jennifer Powell, who said she feared the prognosis was not good. She said on KTVU that her husband was trying to get the renters to be quiet so that the couple could put their young children to bed.

Many of the Powell family members have also posted comments on this article thread on Napa Valley Patch, below.

Hancock said he has interviewed numerous witnesses but is still open to be in touch with anyone who may have been at the scene during the incident.

"It was a rather chaotic scene that occurred," he said. "It's possible that people may have left before deputies arrived."

Anyone with additional information may contact Detective Hancock at 707-253-4591.

Hancock said his investigation underscores the need for people in the community to develop skills in coping with hostile situations.

"It's a shame that adults cannot get involved in conflict resolution without resorting to violence, especially when children are around to witness it," Hancock said.

"The real tragedy is that either side could have gone inside the house and called 911," he added. "Neither side did."

ORIGINAL STORY: 3:56 p.m. Aug. 15, 2013.
Two men were arrested this week in connection with an alleged pitchfork attack and fistfight at a Lake Berryessa-area neighborhood.

Timothy James Anderson, 30, of Santa Cruz County, was taken into custody late Tuesday by Napa County Sheriff's deputies on suspicion of battery.

Steven Dylan Belmont, 30, of El Dorado Hills, was taken into custody Wednesday by the El Dorado County SWAT team, assisted by Napa County Sheriff's detectives, Napa County Special Investigations Bureau agents and El Dorado County Sheriff's deputies.

Belmont was transported and booked into the El Dorado County Jail on suspicion of attemped homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, mayhem and making terrorist threats.

The incident began just before 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, when Napa County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a reported assault in the 400 block of Woodhaven Court, located in the Berryessa Highlands residential development, police said.

Witnesses reported that a resident on the court and two other neighbors were in communiction with several other people who had reportedly rented a Woodhaven Court residence for two days.

Witness accounts are conflicting. However, Sheriff’s investigators believe that the residents initially contacted the temporary residents concerning excessive noise from the group gathered at the rental.

An argument erupted. It is believed that Belmont and another occupant, Anderson, went outside the rented residence, and approached and confronted the three neighbors, according to Napa County Sheriff's Capt. Leroy Anderson.

Capt. Anderson said the argument then allegedly turned physical. It is alleged that Belmont then armed himself with a pitchfork, and swung it at one of the other neighbors, striking him on the left side of his head -- near the mid-line of his ear -- rendering him unconscious.

Suspect Anderson allegedly struck one of the other neighbors in the head with his fist several times.

Belmont then allegedly chased the other two residents while holding the pitchfork, and threatened to kill them, Capt. Anderson said. These two victims eventually escaped. Belmont went back into the rented residence.

When deputies arrived, they found the victim of the pitchfork attack lying in the street, being given first aid by bystanders. That victim was transported by helicopter to the Queen of the Valley hospital for treatment of a fractured skull. As of Wednesday evening, he was still in ICU, Capt. Anderson said.

Deputies took suspect Anderson into custody under a citizen’s arrest for battery  and booked him at the Napa County’s Detention Center.

Deputies searched for Belmont, but he had fled from the house prior to their arrival and was not located despite an extensive search of the area.

On Wednesday, Aug. 14, Napa Sheriff’s detectives conducted an investigation and discovered that Belmont lived at an address located in El Dorado County.

Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Belmont on Wednesday and traveled to his residence along with NSIB Agents and El Dorado County Sheriff’s deputies.

At about 8:30 p.m., Belmont was located inside his residence, but the investigators could not persuade him to exit the home.

The El Dorado County Sheriff's SWAT team responded, and they arrested Belmont after he exited his residence.

If you have information concerning this investigation please contact the Napa Sheriff’s Investigations Bureau at 707 253-4591