Pixley gang member receives life in prison

Nicholas Marroquin, of Pixley, Thursday received 53 years to life for attempting to kill three people at a south county gas station. The sentencing was handed down in Tulare County Superior Court by Judge Michael Sheltzer.

On Sept. 7, a jury found Marroquin, 25, guilty of three counts of attempted murder, four counts of assault with a firearm, street terrorism, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon, and shooting from a vehicle. Special allegations were also found true that Marroquin personally discharged a firearm and that the crimes were done for the benefit of a criminal street gang. Marroquin has a prior conviction for possessing a concealed firearm from 2011.

On Aug. 7, 2014, at approximately 5:15 pm, Marroquin went to the Valley Fuel gas station in Tipton. While Marroquin was inside purchasing items, an argument regarding gang rivalry occurred outside the store between some people in the parking lot and passengers in Marroquin’s vehicle. When Marroquin returned to his vehicle, three of the victims had already returned to their vehicle and were driving away and the fourth victim was entering a parked car in the parking lot. Marroquin retrieved a handgun from his vehicle and shot 11 times at the three victims who were driving away. Marroquin then began to drive out of the parking lot, but stopped as he got onto the roadway to fire one additional shot at the victim in the parked car. The firearm was located on Marroquin’s person during a traffic stop in Fresno two weeks after the shooting.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Aaron Corey and investigated by the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department and Detective Luis Pineda of the California Lottery Commission, formerly a detective with the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department.