San Rafael police arrested a man after he allegedly broke into a residence, attacked the occupants, then attempted to kidnap an elderly person from a skilled nursing facility.
David Jonathan Margoliash, a 48-year-old San Rafael resident, was arrested and booked into Marin County Jail on suspicion of several felonies.
At 1:12 a.m. Saturday, police received a call from a resident of Ross Street, who said Margoliash entered his house through the back door and attacked both him and his pregnant wife. The caller said Margoliash fled on foot in an unknown direction after being thrown out of the house.
Officers learned a suspect matching Margoliash's description allegedly entered the house through a back door while the occupants were asleep.
Margoliash made noise while moving through the house, waking the pregnant wife, who allegedly found him in their living room.
She screamed, waking her husband. Margoliash then allegedly struck her in the head with a flashlight, causing minor injuries.
During the altercation, the wife was able to take the flashlight away from Margoliash. The husband then confronted Margoliash and began to fight with him to get him out of the house.
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During the struggle, Margoliash allegedly bit the husband's hand. The husband finally got Margoliash out of the house and pushed him down a flight of patio stairs. Margoliash fled.
Both victims were treated for their physical injuries at a local hospital.
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With help from the Marin County Sheriff's Office and Novato police's K-9 unit, police searched the area for several hours.
Police received a call at 5:18 a.m. from a skilled nursing facility in the 1600 block of Fifth Avenue about a suspect claiming to be an employee of a transport service and wanting to take an elderly patient to Santa Rosa.
Arriving officers learned Margoliash allegedly walked in and out of the facility several times. The care facility employees challenged Margoliash's statements and demanded credentials, preventing the man from taking the patient. Margoliash then left the facility.
Two nurses followed Margoliash and alerted an officer, who detained him without incident.
Margoliash was booked into the Marin County Jail on suspicion of felony burglary, felony assault with a deadly weapon, and felony attempted kidnapping.
Police said Margoliash has an extensive history with their department, which has arrested him several times for violent crimes. Margoliash is currently waiting to be sentenced in Marin County Superior Court after pleading guilty to criminal violations related to an attack at the Islamic Center of Marin in Novato in March.
Margoliash is being held without bail.
Anyone with information about these crimes can call San Rafael police at (415) 485-3000. Tips can also be made online at http://www.srpd.org/tips.
