Wanted: Rafael Vargas
On January 17, 2021, at 1:02 AM, Coalinga Police officers were dispatched the 500 block of E. Valley Street on a check the welfare call. The caller requested a welfare check on his niece after he had received information that she had possibly been assaulted.
Officers responded to the location and found an adult woman standing outside her home with her grandmother and uncle crying. The victim was complaining of pain and bleeding from the back of her head. Officers noticed the victim was bleeding profusely from several lacerations to the back of her head and immediately called for an ambulance.
It appeared the victim and the father of her child identified has 20-year-old Coalinga resident Rafael Vargas were involved in an argument earlier. During that argument Vargas grabbed a steak knife and stabbed the, victim in the back of her head several times. During the attack, Vargas used enough force that the tip of the knife had broken off as well separated from its handle.
Vargas was seen running away from the location and is still at large. Anyone with information or may know the whereabouts of Rafael Vargas is asked to contact law enforcement by calling 911 or the Coalinga Police Department at (559) 935-1525 option #1 for dispatch or #2 for the Tip Line. Vargas is a known gang member and is considered to be armed and dangerous.
