VISTA — A man accused of fatally attacking his mother in October was ordered on Tuesday to stand trial.
Tad Johnson, 55, is accused of causing fatal injuries to Linda Johnson, 80, at a Riviera Drive residence on Oct. 14. He has pleaded not guilty and was ordered to be held without bail following his arrest.
On the day of the alleged attack, police arrived at the residence along Riviera Drive after Johnson called 911 and stated he’d hit his mother following an argument. Deputies testified during a preliminary hearing that they discovered Linda Johnson in a pool of blood and that she died the next day after being taken to a hospital.
Johnson was arrested at the scene and has been charged with first-degree murder.
Johnson’s defense attorney, Mark Geragos, argued that according to statements his client made to investigators, his mother struck him first. In those statements, Johnson said he punched his mother twice in the face.
Geragos argued that according to those statements, his client was provoked, making the case at most a manslaughter.
Superior Court Judge Saba Sheibani said that in holding Johnson to answer for murder, she could not overlook the vulnerability of the victim due to her age and small stature when compared to her son. A separate judge at an earlier hearing also highlighted the victim’s vulnerability.
Sheibani also said Linda Johnson suffered extensive injuries, including facial fractures, bruising, and lacerations, which she said involved enough force to leave apparent blood spatter on a nearby wall and cause her son’s hand to swell up.
Johnson will reappear in Vista Superior Court on Jan. 5.
The Coast News wire service contributed to this report.
