Man who attacked landscapers with sword sentenced to 8 years in state prison

The man who slashed a landscaper with a sword at his apartment complex in October of last year has been sentenced to eight years in prison.

On the evening of October 25, 2024, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a burglary at an apartment complex in the 62200 block of Verbena Road in Joshua Tree. Upon arriving the deputies discovered that the people reported as burglars were a landscaping crew surveying the property in advance of a tree-trimming planned for the next day.

Deputies say apartment resident Paul Pinckard confronted the landscaping crew and attacked one of them with a sword. The victim suffered from slash wounds and drove himself to Hi-Desert Medical Center for treatment. Deputies arrested Pinckard later that night.

Pinckard was initially facing more serious charges. On October 3, 2025 he entered a plea of “guilty” to the lesser charges of assault with a deadly weapon and mayhem.

The District Attorney’s Office told Z107.7 that Pinckard was sentenced to eight years in state prison.