Kern County supervisor investigated for allegedly sexually assaulting his child

Kern County Supervisor Zack Scrivner is being investigated for allegedly sexually assaulting one of his four children, according to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office.

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.

Scrivner’s attorney, H.A. Sala of Bakersfield, told the TV news station KGET 17 that the allegations of sexual assault are not true and that Scrivner was going through a mental health crisis, distraught over his divorce. He said the altercation ensued after his child attempted to disarm him.

“We have a reasonable basis to believe and conclude that that allegation is absolutely not reliable,” Sala said. “It’s not true. It did not occur.”

Youngblood said an emergency protective order is barring Scrivner from any contact with his children. He declined to disclose their ages and whether the victim was one of Scrivner’s daughters or sons.

Youngblood said the investigation will be a “lengthy process.”

“It should be noted that this investigation is ongoing and not near completed,” he said. “We still have interviews to conduct, forensic evaluations to make.”

Scrivner was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2010, serving as chairman in 2012, 2017 and 2022. Before serving on the board, he spent six years on the Bakersfield City Council.