Kenwood Man, 53, Arrested in Connection with Dog Walker Assault in Sonoma Valley Park

A man accused of assaulting a 60-year-old woman by ripping off her glasses and throwing her cell phone into a lake on Sonoma Developmental Center property near Glen Ellen Sunday morning turned himself Tuesday night, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office.

Kenwood resident Paul Mott, 53, turned himself in to detectives and was booked at the Sonoma County jail on suspicion of robbery, battery and animal cruelty, Sheriff's Sgt. Dave Thompson said. Mott's bail was set at $50,000. 

Mott was accused of the assault after his dog got into a fight with the woman's dog. The victim claimed that he became so angry that he ripped off her glasses, threw her cell phone into a lake, continued screaming at her, kicked her dog several times and then took off toward Arnold Drive, Thompson said.

The incident occurred at 8:50 a.m. Sunday, with both dogs running off-leash – a violation of park rules. The dogs began fighting, and the man then came at the woman aggressively, "crossed his dog's leash around her neck and began yelling at her," Thompson said.

The woman fought him off and threatened to take a photo of him with her cell phone camera, Thompson said, only to have him rip off her glasses, yank her cell phone out of her hands and throw the victim's phone into Lake Suttonfield, Thompson said.

The man continued screaming at the woman, kicked her dog several times and then took off toward Arnold Drive, the victim told deputies. She eventually flagged down another hiker who called the Sheriff's Office for help, Thompson said.