11-13-2008 California:Man Attacked News Crews Tuesday In Oakdale
OAKDALE, Calif. -- A convicted sex offender who attacked a news crew on Tuesday said he regrets committing the rape that landed him in prison in the first place.
Darren Kawamoto, 44, was once again in police custody Wednesday after a violent outburst directed at reporters and camera crews, including KCRA 3's Richard Sharp and videographer Steve Gonzalez.
Kawamoto had to be restrained by what may have been a family member after getting a box cutter out of his vehicle during the incident.
Nobody was injured during the attack.
The charge of felony criminal threats carries a potential sentence of one to three years, but Kawamoto could face a stiffer sentence because of his prior convictions.
He is set to be arraigned later this week.
Kawamoto's previous crimes include sodomy and oral copulation with a victim younger than 14 or by force, according to the Megan's Law Web site.
Kawamoto is registered as a transient in both Oakdale and Riverbank, but reporters tracked him down Tuesday at a relative's home he sometimes stays at.
-The question is, WHY are they tracking him down? He was doing nothing wrong, and their actions provoked him. A clear case of media vigilantism.
He told KCRA 3's Pamela Wu that he sometimes stays at the home but didn't want to use the address when he registered on Megan's List because his 10-year-old niece lives there.
Kawamoto said he loves his niece and didn't want to put her in harm's way.
He also said he sometimes sleeps in his car to get around having to use a permanent address.
Kawamoto said claimed he learned to humanize his victims and women in general while serving time in prison for his previous crime.
His bail was set at $50,000. ..News Source.. by KRA3 News
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