San Deigo Barber Gets 10 Years After Intentionally Slitting US Military Member's Throat

2015-06-15T12:00:32-04:00

Originally published on sandeigoreader.com:
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Tim Vaughn had a lot on his mind last October when he sat down in the barber's chair at Vic's Barber Shop in Imperial Beach.

Vaughn, 33, is a U.S. Navy petty officer who worked as a medic. He was up for a promotion to chief after 16 years in the service. His wife was ten weeks pregnant and he was looking forward to being the shoulder she could lean on for the baby they were excited about.

Vaughn didn't know the barber, Daniel Roberto Flores, who was the only other person in the shop. When Flores insisted on trimming Vaughn's beard with a straight razor, the Navy man cooperated and tipped his head back. That's when Flores said: “I could cut your throat.” And then Flores did — leaving two slashes across Vaughn's throat. Then Flores left the shop and rode away on his bicycle.

"I felt this incredible pain,” said Vaughn in court on Thursday (June 11). “There was so much blood. 'Where is everyone?' I put pressure on it. It hurt so much. I felt this huge hole. 'Somebody help me.' There's blood all over my shirt, all over the floor. 'Somebody please help me.' I guess my training kicked in."

Though he lost a lot of blood, Vaughn knew to position himself so blood would continue to go to his heart and his brain, and to make himself stay conscious. Police said he saved his own life.

Vaughn came to court for Flores's sentencing on the attempted murder charge the 22-year-old pled guilty to. Vaughn wore his neatly pressed Navy uniform — as did nearly a dozen of his colleagues who came to support him.

"There would be more but our ship deployed," an officer said.

Vaughn described himself as undeployable and talked about how he fears for the loss of his career. After the attack, he didn't get the promotion to chief. He has spent the past seven months learning to turn his head and waiting for the feeling in his neck to return, he told the judge.

After hundreds of hours of physical therapy, surgical repairs, and psychiatric help, he remains undeployable. In today's Navy, that's a career-ender.

"My heart [hurts] most for my family because they are the true victims," Vaughn said. "I survived a gruesome, heinous attack.... Instead of being a shoulder for my wife to lean on, I get to go home and have my family babysit me, wash me and feed me and deal with my — my pain, anxiety, nightmares, sleepless nights."

Throughout the recounting, Flores appeared bored. No one knows why he nearly killed Vaughn. Police said they had no prior relationship and there wasn't an argument.

Judge Garry Haehnle noted that both psychiatrists who examined Flores found "hints of mental illness" but nothing acute and nothing that would have triggered such an attack.

"He had no audio or visual hallucinations, no self-defense issues," Haehnle said. "He just doesn't remember."

Flores didn't speak — his attorney explained that Flores "was going through some difficult times with psychiatric issues…. He is extremely remorseful and sorry for what he did."

But Vaughn's mom, Kathleen Dye, wasn't buying it.

"My son looks in the mirror every single day and he sees a scar from ear to ear," Dye said. "For what reason? We still don't know."

Although the probation report recommended a sentence of eight years because Flores has no prior convictions, Judge Haehnle went for the maximum of ten years — which brought sobs from Flores’s wife, who was there with his mother and three siblings.

"Mr. Vaughn trusted this man to do what a barber would do," Haehnle said. "I know Mr. Vaughn suffered tremendously and still suffers to this day."

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2015/jun/11/stringers-barber-slasher-gets-ten-years-jail/#

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Jun 15 at 2015 12:04 PM

2015-06-15T12:04:50-04:00

The barber should get the death penalty.

Or life without parole at the very least.

Response by SFC Stephen King made Jun 15 at 2015 12:05 PM

2015-06-15T12:05:57-04:00

Punishment fits the crime in my humble opinion. Yet, attempted murder deserves death

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jun 15 at 2015 12:09 PM

2015-06-15T12:09:10-04:00

An eye for an eye...

Response by LTC Gavin Heater made Jun 15 at 2015 12:15 PM

2015-06-15T12:15:21-04:00

Straight razors are very scary. Their use requires both a skill and the utmost care. I had a barber cut himself once and require me to get him emergency care. He never cut hair again after the incident. I have avoided them ever since. This barber needs to be put away and kept away from sharp objects. Sad for the PO.

Response by Cpl Dennis F. made Jun 15 at 2015 12:19 PM

2015-06-15T12:19:44-04:00

The Vietnamese contract barber for 1st Tanks in RVN, who regularly used a straight razor, was found dead after an attack on one of our OPs. He had an AK47 with him. I never really liked the guy and avoided him.

Response by SPC Ei McS made Jun 15 at 2015 12:20 PM

2015-06-15T12:20:45-04:00

When I read stories like that I can't help but feel hate and extreme anger! I can't help it!!!!

What if Mr Vaughn would have bleed out and died?! That could have happened so easily if Mr Vaughn didn't know what to do and he had a bit of luck on his side!

Ten years for Flores isn't enough!!!!! What if he'll get out in ten years or less and then tries to do the same kind of thing to the next Military person?????

Flores should get the death penalty!

Response by LCpl Mark Lefler made Jun 15 at 2015 12:34 PM

2015-06-15T12:34:09-04:00

This is rather oddly random, having read a bit about it, the barber isn't exactly sure why he did it.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Jun 15 at 2015 12:36 PM

2015-06-15T12:36:48-04:00

OMG. My heart goes out to this Sailor and his family. What kind of insane person would do such a thing? Makes my stomach turn to think about it. Good thing his training kicked in and he saved his own life. Wow, what a story.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jun 15 at 2015 12:42 PM

2015-06-15T12:42:56-04:00

Wow that is a tough situation.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2015 1:30 PM

2015-06-15T13:30:39-04:00

So does anyone else think its odd the navy guy has a beard?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2015 1:31 PM

2015-06-15T13:31:31-04:00

10 years for attempted murder, but get caught with more than an ounce of marijuana, you'll go away for 20 plus. Our legal system is bass-ackward.

Response by SFC(P) Aaron Fore made Jun 15 at 2015 1:53 PM

2015-06-15T13:53:19-04:00

Ten years are not enough, he didn't succeed in his goal but his attempt was as valid as if he had. I don't like life imprisonment, because I shouldn't have to pay for you that long, death penalty is warranted.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Jun 15 at 2015 2:20 PM

2015-06-15T14:20:28-04:00

Really....10 years in prison? He will be out in less time for good behavior. This is the part of the CJ system I do not like. If I was the victim I'd be waiting for that X barber to get out of prison.

Response by SSG John Erny made Jun 15 at 2015 4:01 PM

2015-06-15T16:01:03-04:00

I hope Bubba gets his hands on that barber!

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2015 5:00 PM

2015-06-15T17:00:48-04:00

Ridiculous is the only word (that I can use on RallyPoint). Ten years for attempted murder?

Response by SA Harold Hansmann made Jun 15 at 2015 7:04 PM

2015-06-15T19:04:15-04:00

Life sentence

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2015 9:00 PM

2015-06-15T21:00:55-04:00

This is why I cut my own hair...

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2015 11:09 PM

2015-06-15T23:09:33-04:00

The trauma psychologically, will last a lifetime. An eye for an eye I say

Response by PO3 Kellilynn Feliciano made Jun 16 at 2015 8:40 AM

2015-06-16T08:40:58-04:00

This makes my heart hurt for my shipmate and his family. Given that I work in the legal field, I can see why Flores was only sentenced to 10 years due to no prior convictions. If Flores would have been charged differently or there were accompanying charges, there would have been more jail time. I cannot fathom the pain, hurt, and frustration that PO1 Vaughn and his family are going through.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 16 at 2015 12:47 PM

2015-06-16T12:47:10-04:00

Attempted murder on a military member during a time where we are fighting terrorism all over the globe... IMO this should have been considered treason and tried as such.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Jun 16 at 2015 5:06 PM

2015-06-16T17:06:45-04:00

10 years for a serious attempt at murder. Absurd.

Response by PO1 Glenn Boucher made Jun 17 at 2015 1:16 PM

2015-06-17T13:16:22-04:00

Hard to imagine only 10 years for attempted murder, but our legal system is screwed up.
Now I am not trying to be disrespectful here, I'm just stating my own opinions.
First why would you ever let someone you don't know or trust give you a shave with a straight razor? Especially if they are insisting, I mean common sense comes into play here. I personally enjoy a straight razor shave and when I am in the Philippines on vacation I enjoy having it done and its the same barber in the same small shop that I have frequented over the last 15 years when going there.
Second, and I know this will butt hurt someone, I seriously doubt that having suffered medical trauma would prevent you from making Chief, its the way the selection board selected the candidates, nothing more or less.
Not being able to deploy is not a career ender, its just a set back and you have to keep working for your promotions. I never made Chief and I was on limited duty twice due to traumatic brain injury. I don't know why the selection boards select those that they do but it is what it is.
That all being said I hope that Petty Officer Vaughn gets the help he needs to move on with his life. Its never easy to be a victim.

Response by SN Jeremy Becker made Jun 17 at 2015 7:06 PM

2015-06-17T19:06:55-04:00

This is why I don't trust other people to shave my face.

Response by LTC Gavin Heater made Jun 22 at 2015 8:49 AM

2015-06-22T08:49:39-04:00

This seems like the least sentence he should have received. Makes the pleasure of a razor cut a very scary proposition.

Response by PO1 Robyn O'Reilly made Jun 23 at 2015 7:43 PM

2015-06-23T19:43:59-04:00

10 years for trying to muder someone the prosecution is at fault for not asking for more time

Response by PO3 Jody Wangen made Jul 2 at 2015 9:01 PM

2015-07-02T21:01:36-04:00

now they need to do a separate trial for damaging government property

Response by SSG Keith Cashion made Jul 10 at 2015 4:54 PM

2015-07-10T16:54:57-04:00

So, looking at this, you would think that the thought that this was premeditated would add a few more years or decades to the sentence, I mean the guy did think about it, plan it and even stated he could do it, then carried out the plan. There is no rehab for this guy. With over crowding, like many have said, he will be out in a few years. And the song of woe, will shift from the Sailor that will have to try to live as normal alife as he can, with the uncertanty of his future to that poor, poor woman who has been left to raise her children by herself because her husband has been sent to prison. May sound snarky, but that is the reality of it. Husband is in prison, I need assistance (picture hand being held out). It's sad that a young Sailor with what could have been a great future is now, not sure now of his future.

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Jul 29 at 2015 4:48 PM

2015-07-29T16:48:20-04:00

Wow... This is definitely why I cut my own hair and shave my own face... I know, I have a "trust no one" attitude, and yet, here I stand (type)! :)

Response by Maj Rob Drury made May 31 at 2016 6:19 PM

2016-05-31T18:19:47-04:00

I never understood why the charge of attempted murder carried a lessor penalty than murder. So, someone gets off easier for being a bad shot?

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 13 at 2016 3:04 PM

2016-06-13T15:04:14-04:00

Guy should have got life for what he did......No signs of mental illness, he just cut a guys throat, twice and ran away. There's something missing.