Arne Arthur Oliver, 46, of California, was sentenced by a Wood County jury on June 17 to 15 years confinement, five years short of the maximum sentence of 20 years, in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for the offense of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
 The jury convicted Oliver on June 16 after less than an hour of deliberation. The jury heard evidence that Oliver had at least 11 prior convictions out of the state of California for offenses including drug possession, driving under the influence, battery, assault with a deadly weapon, and vandalism, and received probation each time, violating at least five of the probation sentences.
 The jury also heard evidence that while incarcerated in the Wood County Jail awaiting trial, Oliver was written up by jail staff for fighting and inciting a fight.
 At sentencing, Oliver asked the jury to place him on probation. The jury denied that request, deliberating for less than half an hour before sentencing Oliver to prison. Because it was determined that a deadly weapon was used in the commission of the offense, Oliver must serve half of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.
 The case for the State was presented by Assistant Criminal District Attorney Logan Sawyer and First Assistant Criminal District Attorney Brandon Baade. Oliver’s defense attorneys were Lee Warren and Kristina Horn.
On July 8, 2025, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office received a 9-1-1 call from a residence on County Road 2745 in Mineola, and the victim (a 62-year-old man), who owned the home Oliver was residing in, told dispatch that Oliver had placed a knife up to his throat and said “I will slit your (expletive) throat and gut you,” and “you deserve to be decapitated.” Deputies Whisenhunt, Morrison, and Vanatta of the Wood County Sheriff’s Office responded to the disturbance and both the victim and Oliver were interviewed on scene. Oliver’s version of events changed numerous times during his interview, his behavior was erratic and hostile, and he made incoherent statements. After reviewing all of the evidence and collecting witness statements, the officers arrested Oliver.
“The Defendant has been committing crimes for over two decades and has never truly been held accountable,” Wood County Criminal District Attorney Angela Albers said. “I was very pleased that the jury rejected his request for probation and sentenced him to over a decade in prison. The jury made him very aware this is not California. He has shown no regard for anyone in society but himself and our community is now safer that this violent man will be behind bars. The jury’s verdict sends a message to all violent criminals in Wood County that they will be held accountable for their violent actions and suffer severe consequences.”