Man pleads not guilty to attempted murder in Huntington Beach knife attack

A Westminster man pleaded not guilty Monday to attempted murder and other felonies related to a knife attack this month in Huntington Beach.

Mike Enders, 24, faces one count of attempted murder, one count of second-degree robbery and one count of assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm, according to the criminal complaint. He also denied sentencing enhancement allegations of premeditation, inflicting great bodily injury and personally using a deadly weapon, court records show.

A man got in the passenger seat of a stationary vehicle in the 16900 block of Gothard Street at about 7:45 p.m. Jan. 17 with the intent to give another man $500 in cash, the Huntington Beach Police Department said Tuesday.

During the transaction, police said, the second man produced a knife and tried to stab the victim, whom he knew.

The victim was able to block the knife with his hand and suffered non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said. The attacker fled.

Enders was later identified as a suspect and was arrested Thursday, police said.

Enders was booked into Orange County Jail with bail set at $1 million, according to jail records. He is scheduled back in court Feb. 10, according to court records.

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