Baseball Bat Assailant Faces Attempted Murder Charges

The 38-year-old Daly City man who allegedly fractured a woman’s skull with a baseball bat in Pacifica faces attempted murder charges, authorities said Monday.

Richard Eugene Willis appeared in San Mateo County Superior Court Friday, but didn't enter a plea to the charges that include attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, and threats.

Prosecutors say Willis is accused of attacking his brother's ex-girlfriend and a man who were talking together in a car on the 300 block of Esplanade Avenue on Sept. 29 after he and two other men approached the car. 

Willis allegedly smashed open one of the car's windows and began to attack both victims with a metal baseball bat. The woman, a 25-year-old from San Bruno whose name was not released, was hit repeatedly, causing a fractured skull and blood clots to form in the brain, as Willis yelled at her that he was going to kill her, according to District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.

The man with her was hit in the arm and was able to scare off the attackers by grabbing a stick.

Pacifica Police detectives assigned to investigate this case were able to determine the incident stemmed from an ongoing dispute involving the victim and suspect, Pacifica police Capt. Daniel Steidle said, but the woman was not romantically involved with Willis.

Pacifica Police detectives, with the assistance of Burlingame Police officers, arrested Willis on Friday for attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, and terrorist threats at his place of business in Burlingame.

He was booked into the San Mateo County Jail.

Willis is due back in court Oct. 18 and is being held in San Mateo County Jail in lieu of $750,000 bail.