Lakeside man pleads guilty to child molestation, firing on police

Lakeside resident Daniel Robert Witczak, who opened fire in September 2012 on two San Diego Sheriff’s deputies who were about to serve an arrest warrant on him for child molestation charges, pleaded guilty yesterday (October 16) to a host of charges.

“Two of the most heinous acts one can commit is to harm a child, and attempt to kill another person – especially those in law enforcement, who serve and protect the community,” said Sheriff Bill Gore in a release expressing his support for the sentence.

“Today’s guilty plea and life sentences provide a measure of justice to the victims in this case,” added District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis in a separate release from her office.

Witczak pleaded guilty to two charges of attempted murder of a police officer after shooting Detective Ali Perez and Sgt. Craig Johnson, as well as two more counts of lewd acts upon a child under 10-years-old and using a firearm to cause great bodily injury. Witczak was sentenced to life in prison.