News

Charges filed against Palo Alto teen after string of attacks

Daiki Minaki faces seven counts after April 4 crime spree

A Palo Alto teen who went on a naked rampage has been charged with felony assault, battery on a police officer, trespassing and being under the influence of a controlled substance, according to papers filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court on Monday.

Daiki Glenn Minaki, 18, was arrested by police on April 4, after he, while naked, allegedly attacked two people in their homes and one woman walking her dog.

Earlier that evening, Minaki had returned home at about 7 p.m. with wet clothes, according to a police report. He did not bring back the family car, his mother told police. He took a long shower and sprayed shaving cream all over the upstairs bathroom. He became unusually aggressive and punched a hole in a bedroom door prior to running out of the house naked, according to the report.

At about 8:51 p.m., police received the first 911 call of the evening about Minaki. A resident in the 1100 block of Colorado Avenue told police a naked man had entered his home through an unlocked front door, charged at his teenage son inside and hit him twice on an arm and leg with an open hand. The teen hit and kicked Minaki in self-defense, knocking him over a coffee table, and Minaki fled, according to the police report.

As officers were responding to that call, a second call came in about a minute later from a resident in the 1000 block of Colorado Avenue. The man, in his 40s, said a naked man had just entered his home through an open front door and attempted to physically attack him. Minaki allegedly began throwing papers from a table and the resident kicked Minaki in the stomach, who again fled on foot.

Help sustain the local news you depend on.

Your contribution matters. Become a member today.

Join

Minutes later, officers found Minaki nearby in the 2900 block of Otterson Court. Officers heard banging on windows and doors as if someone was trying to break into the home, according to the police report. After police heard rustling in the bushes, they spotted Minaki, who was then crawling on the ground. Minaki had a cut on his face, scratches and abrasions covering his body and was bloody, according to the police report.

When he saw an officer, Minaki allegedly stood up, growling, and charged at the officer. The officer managed to side-step the attack, causing Minaki to fall to the ground. He struggled with police and had to be restrained by three officers, who handcuffed him and put him in additional restraints. During the struggle, he allegedly shouted profanities and spat bloody saliva in the face of an officer, according to the report.

At the same time officers were taking Minaki into custody, a third 911 call came in from a woman in her 50s who had been walking her dog in the 1000 block of Colorado Avenue. Minaki had allegedly tackled her from behind and punched and kicked her numerous times in the head and body while she lay on the ground.

Police discovered that after Minaki left the first home in the 1100 block of Colorado Avenue, he attacked the woman, who screamed for help. The second 911 caller had heard her screaming, opened his door to investigate and yelled at Minaki to stop. Minaki then charged into that man's house.

Officers suspected Minaki was under the influence of PCP or psilocybin, both hallucinogens that can cause a rise in body temperature that might have made him take off his clothes, according to the report. He was taken to Stanford Hospital after being arrested. Later, he allegedly admitted to police that he had taken hallucinogenic mushrooms, according to the report.

Stay informed

Get the latest local news and information sent straight to your inbox.

Stay informed

Get the latest local news and information sent straight to your inbox.

Palo Alto Fire Department personnel also took the woman to a local hospital, where she was treated for moderate abrasions and large welts and bruising to her face, head, chin and knuckles. She complained of severe pain to her abdomen and ribs.

Neither of the men whose houses Minaki entered sustained any injuries, police said. One police officer scraped his hands while trying to apply a hobble restraint to Minaki's ankles, but the officer did not require medical attention.

Police contacted Minaki's friends whose phone numbers had been recently dialed on his cell phone. One friend told police about the location of the missing family car. Friends were evasive about Minaki's whereabouts that evening and who he was with, police said, but they learned he had ingested the mushrooms while soaking in a hot tub at a Midtown Palo Alto residence.

Minaki faces seven charges: felony assault for the attack on the woman; being under the influence of a controlled substance; battery, assault; battery on a police officer; and two counts of aggravated trespassing, all misdemeanors.

He will appear in Santa Clara County Superior Court in Palo Alto on July 15.

Most Viewed Stories

Most Viewed Stories

Gennady Sheyner
 
Gennady Sheyner covers the City Hall beat in Palo Alto as well as regional politics, with a special focus on housing and transportation. Before joining the Palo Alto Weekly/PaloAltoOnline.com in 2008, he covered breaking news and local politics for the Waterbury Republican-American, a daily newspaper in Connecticut. Read more >>

Follow on Twitter @paloaltoweekly, Facebook and on Instagram @paloaltoonline for breaking news, local events, photos, videos and more.

Charges filed against Palo Alto teen after string of attacks

Daiki Minaki faces seven counts after April 4 crime spree

A Palo Alto teen who went on a naked rampage has been charged with felony assault, battery on a police officer, trespassing and being under the influence of a controlled substance, according to papers filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court on Monday.

Daiki Glenn Minaki, 18, was arrested by police on April 4, after he, while naked, allegedly attacked two people in their homes and one woman walking her dog.

Earlier that evening, Minaki had returned home at about 7 p.m. with wet clothes, according to a police report. He did not bring back the family car, his mother told police. He took a long shower and sprayed shaving cream all over the upstairs bathroom. He became unusually aggressive and punched a hole in a bedroom door prior to running out of the house naked, according to the report.

At about 8:51 p.m., police received the first 911 call of the evening about Minaki. A resident in the 1100 block of Colorado Avenue told police a naked man had entered his home through an unlocked front door, charged at his teenage son inside and hit him twice on an arm and leg with an open hand. The teen hit and kicked Minaki in self-defense, knocking him over a coffee table, and Minaki fled, according to the police report.

As officers were responding to that call, a second call came in about a minute later from a resident in the 1000 block of Colorado Avenue. The man, in his 40s, said a naked man had just entered his home through an open front door and attempted to physically attack him. Minaki allegedly began throwing papers from a table and the resident kicked Minaki in the stomach, who again fled on foot.

Minutes later, officers found Minaki nearby in the 2900 block of Otterson Court. Officers heard banging on windows and doors as if someone was trying to break into the home, according to the police report. After police heard rustling in the bushes, they spotted Minaki, who was then crawling on the ground. Minaki had a cut on his face, scratches and abrasions covering his body and was bloody, according to the police report.

When he saw an officer, Minaki allegedly stood up, growling, and charged at the officer. The officer managed to side-step the attack, causing Minaki to fall to the ground. He struggled with police and had to be restrained by three officers, who handcuffed him and put him in additional restraints. During the struggle, he allegedly shouted profanities and spat bloody saliva in the face of an officer, according to the report.

At the same time officers were taking Minaki into custody, a third 911 call came in from a woman in her 50s who had been walking her dog in the 1000 block of Colorado Avenue. Minaki had allegedly tackled her from behind and punched and kicked her numerous times in the head and body while she lay on the ground.

Police discovered that after Minaki left the first home in the 1100 block of Colorado Avenue, he attacked the woman, who screamed for help. The second 911 caller had heard her screaming, opened his door to investigate and yelled at Minaki to stop. Minaki then charged into that man's house.

Officers suspected Minaki was under the influence of PCP or psilocybin, both hallucinogens that can cause a rise in body temperature that might have made him take off his clothes, according to the report. He was taken to Stanford Hospital after being arrested. Later, he allegedly admitted to police that he had taken hallucinogenic mushrooms, according to the report.

Palo Alto Fire Department personnel also took the woman to a local hospital, where she was treated for moderate abrasions and large welts and bruising to her face, head, chin and knuckles. She complained of severe pain to her abdomen and ribs.

Neither of the men whose houses Minaki entered sustained any injuries, police said. One police officer scraped his hands while trying to apply a hobble restraint to Minaki's ankles, but the officer did not require medical attention.

Police contacted Minaki's friends whose phone numbers had been recently dialed on his cell phone. One friend told police about the location of the missing family car. Friends were evasive about Minaki's whereabouts that evening and who he was with, police said, but they learned he had ingested the mushrooms while soaking in a hot tub at a Midtown Palo Alto residence.

Minaki faces seven charges: felony assault for the attack on the woman; being under the influence of a controlled substance; battery, assault; battery on a police officer; and two counts of aggravated trespassing, all misdemeanors.

He will appear in Santa Clara County Superior Court in Palo Alto on July 15.

Comments

Harry
Fairmeadow
on Jun 26, 2014 at 10:51 am
Harry, Fairmeadow
on Jun 26, 2014 at 10:51 am

Obviously in need of mental help. I hope he gets the right kind. Nothing in the story about where he lives, what he does, who his parents are.


Harry
Fairmeadow
on Jun 26, 2014 at 10:52 am
Harry, Fairmeadow
on Jun 26, 2014 at 10:52 am

Some other police depts. would have shot him dead when he charged them.


Good neighbor
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jun 26, 2014 at 10:56 am
Good neighbor, Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jun 26, 2014 at 10:56 am
Good Neighbor
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jun 26, 2014 at 10:58 am
Good Neighbor, Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jun 26, 2014 at 10:58 am

If this had happened in San Jose, he would have. Even shot dead, no doubt. His family is very lucky to live in Palo Alto. [Portion removed.]


Tracy
Barron Park
on Jun 26, 2014 at 11:51 am
Tracy, Barron Park
on Jun 26, 2014 at 11:51 am
Paul Simon
Midtown
on Jun 26, 2014 at 11:54 am
Paul Simon, Midtown
on Jun 26, 2014 at 11:54 am
Susan
College Terrace
on Jun 26, 2014 at 1:31 pm
Susan, College Terrace
on Jun 26, 2014 at 1:31 pm
Sad
Esther Clark Park
on Jun 26, 2014 at 1:50 pm
Sad, Esther Clark Park
on Jun 26, 2014 at 1:50 pm

Sad that this has tainted his life going forward. He can't take it back and he will have to endure the ridicule from this event for a very long time.


JustMe
Registered user
Duveneck/St. Francis
on Jun 26, 2014 at 2:06 pm
JustMe, Duveneck/St. Francis
Registered user
on Jun 26, 2014 at 2:06 pm

Ridicule is nothing, wait till he tries to get a job with that police record.


Don't miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to be notified of new comments on this topic.

Post a comment

On Wednesday, we'll be launching a new website. To prepare and make sure all our content is available on the new platform, commenting on stories and in TownSquare has been disabled. When the new site is online, past comments will be available to be seen and we'll reinstate the ability to comment. We appreciate your patience while we make this transition.