Man accused in Coachella stabbing pleads not guilty

A man accused of committing a non-fatal stabbing while he was out on bail in Coachella pleaded not guilty today to related charges.

Hernan Bustamante Meza, 30, of Coachella was arrested Wednesday after a follow-up investigation by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department into a reported stabbing, authorities said.

The Riverside County District Attorney's Office charged Meza on Monday with one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon causing great bodily injury. He was additionally charged with three-sentence enhancing allegations of committing the alleged charge while on bail.   

Meza appeared at the Larson Justice Center later Monday, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges and was scheduled for a felony settlement conference on Jan. 13.

The victim, who sustained non-life-threatening stab wounds, said an unknown male attacked him, Matos said. Deputies conducted a follow-up investigation and identified Meza as a potential suspect.

A search warrant was issued at his residence in the 85200 block of Cairo Street, where authorities found the knife they believe to have been used in the incident, as well as a loaded handgun, Matos said.

Meza currently has two other active felony cases involving assault with a deadly weapon in Riverside County, court records show.  

He remains behind bars on $150,000 bail at the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio.