Kern County Supervisor Under Investigation for Allegedly Sexually Assaulting His Own Child
In a stunning turn of events, Kern County Supervisor Zack Scrivner is under investigation for allegedly sexually assaulting one of his four children. The investigation came to light after an incident at the official’s home in Tehachapi, California.
The situation began when Sheriff Donny Youngblood received a phone call from Scrivner’s aunt, Cynthia Zimmer, who is also Kern County’s district attorney.
Sheriff Donny Youngblood said in a news conference Thursday that he received a call from Dist. Atty. Cynthia Zimmer — Scrivner’s aunt — Tuesday night, saying that Scrivner was armed and appeared to be having “some type of psychotic episode” at his home in Tehachapi. Zimmer then called Youngblood back to notify him that Scrivner was no longer armed.
“We were responding to what we believed at the time was a suicidal person having a psychotic episode, not any crime,” Youngblood said.
When deputies arrived on the scene, they secured the firearm. They found that Scrivner had a physical altercation with his children and was stabbed twice in the upper torso over allegations that he had sexually assaulted one of his children, Youngblood said. His injuries were non-life-threatening, he added.
Scrivner’s four children, who are minors, and his parents were at the house at the time of the incident, Youngblood said. His wife, Christina, who filed for divorce in March, was not present.
“Child was protecting other child from what he believed occurred,” Youngblood said in describing the incident.
Detectives obtained a search warrant and seized 30 firearms, psychedelic mushrooms, electronic devices and possible evidence of sexual assault in the house, he said.
Youngblood explained that during the episode, Scrivner brandished a firearm and “possibly” put it to his head as if he were going to take his own life. He was later transported to a hospital to treat his stab wounds.
Scrivner, a Republican, is a long-time friend of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. He is not currently being charged with sexual assault, but there is a criminal protective order prohibiting him from having contact with his kids while the investigation proceeds.
As part of the investigation, law enforcement has taken several boxes of items from Scrivner’s home.
Tehachapi News freelance reporter Claudia Elliott briefly spoke with several officers — including some in plainclothes — outside Scrivner’s home. One uniformed officer would only say they were on hand for security. Deputies and detectives were observed exiting the home’s side entrance with several bags and boxes and placing them in an unmarked, canopied pickup truck.
A deed search shows the home is owned by Scrivner.
H.A. Sala, Scrivner’s attorney, told reporters on Thursday that the allegations of sexual assault are “not reliable, not true and it didn’t occur.” He also said the official did not threaten anyone else in the home and criticized the sheriff for giving a press conference on the matter.
“To me it’s remarkable the sheriff would come out at this point without a full investigation and make allegations like that,” he asserted.
Scrivner has served on the Board of Supervisors for 14 years. He and his wife, Christina Scrivner, are currently going through a divorce.