Suspects in shooting make initial court appearance
The two men arrested in connection to a shooting in an alley, which left one person with a gunshot wound to the leg, made their initial appearance in Yuma Justice Court Thursday afternoon.
Hector Hernandez, 23, was informed he was being held on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, using a weapon during the commission of a crime and for being a prohibited possessor.
Hernandez, who is allegedly the shooter, is also still on probation from an unrelated offense.
In a separate hearing, 25-yearold Jose Lopez was told he was being held on charges of misconduct with weapons and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was also told he was facing a possible unlawful flight from pursuing law enforcement charge in the second case.
Both Hernandez and Lopez appeared before Yuma Justice of the Peace Greg Stewart, who also explained to them the county attorney’s office had two days to review the case and decide whether to file a criminal complaint against them.
He then explained they would be returning to court on Monday, at which time he will be informed whether that complaint has been filed against them, and what offenses, if any, they were being charged with.
Stewart also told the two men that if no complaint was filed they would be released sometime later that same day. he also set their bonds at $500,000 for Hernandez and a combined $270,000 for Lopez.
No prosecutor was present for either of the hearings, but attorney Robert Billar of the Yuma County Public Defender’s Office appeared on behalf of both Hernandez and Lopez.
According to Yuma police, both Hernandez and Lopez were located and arrested on Wednesday at about 5:50 p.m. in the 800 block of S. 8th Avenue.
At approximately 12:08 p.m. Yuma police responded to the alleyway between 9th and 10th Avenue in the 900 block in reference to shots being fired.
A man, who had received a gunshot wound to his right calf, was taken to the Yuma Regional Medical Center with injuries that were not life-threatening.
At around 5:10 p.m., Yuma police spotted Hernandez and Lopez in the area of 16th Street and 4th Avenue in a maroon, 4-door passenger car of some type, which matched the description of a vehicle seen at the shooting.
As the vehicle attempted to flee the area, however, it collided into a tree in the alleyway between 7th and 8th Avenue, causing the suspects to flee on foot.