Man faces murder charge for allegedly killing sailor on I-5

Chuck Smith Attorney at Law

A 21-year-old man sits in San Diego County Central Jail for the alleged shooting death of one man on Interstate 5 and shooting another man about 10 minutes earlier on Boundary Street in Mount Hope. After these incidents, the California Highway Patrol located the suspect’s vehicle on northbound I-5 and alerted the San Diego Police Department.

The girlfriend of the deceased man reported the crime after the suspect allegedly shot her boyfriend when he stopped to offer help to the suspect, whose vehicle was stopped on the freeway. The victim died shortly thereafter at UC San Diego Medical Center. Police have not identified the motive for the shooting.

Another man survived an encounter with the suspect minutes earlier. Police investigators said the shooting victim had apparently caught the suspect trying to break into his car. Authorities have leveled charges of first-degree murder and second-degree burglary at the man who has been convicted of multiple misdemeanors since he was 18. He had been sentenced to probation only weeks before the shootings. Now that he stands accused of felonies, he remains jailed without bail.

Violent crimes by their nature ordinarily demand aggressive action by prosecutors. A person charged with serious felonies like homicide or assault has a right to legal representation. An attorney might choose to defend a person by scrutinizing evidence and questioning the accuracy of eyewitnesses. Weak evidence might cause a prosecutor to drop a case after challenges from an attorney. If charges persist, an attorney might offer an opinion about the strength of the case so that the person can make an informed decision between standing trial or considering a plea bargain.

Source: NBC Los Angeles, “Suspect in Navy Sailor’s Murder Involved in Another Shooting Minutes Before“, Alexander Nguyen, Oct. 29, 2018

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