Hearing is delayed for man charged in shooting at canal
Wednesday’s hearing in Yuma County Superior Court for a man charged in connection to a shooting that left one person with multiple gunshot wounds was postponed. The action was taken to give the defense, and prosecution, more time to try and resolve the case without having to go to trial.
In asking for a continuance, attorney Jerry Hernandez informed the court during a brief hearing that the prosecution has offered his client a plea agreement, but he made a counteroffer.
He went on to say that the prosecution needs time to review his counteroffer and, if it is accepted, it would have to go through the victim notification process. After that, he would need time to meet with his client and review the changes with him.
Hernandez represents Gatrick Salas-Fernandez, who has been charged with attempted first-degree murder, discharging a firearm at a non-residential structure, and aggravated assault with intent to cause serious physical injury.
Salas-Fernandez has also been charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon per domestic violence. He remains in custody at Yuma County jail on $500,000 bond.
Superior Court Judge Brandon Kinsey, who is presiding over the case, granted Hernandez’s request for a continuance and rescheduled the next hearing for 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 5 for a change of plea or trial setting.
According to the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office, at about 6:10 p.m. on June 7, deputies responded to the area of the West Main Canal and Riverside Drive to investigate a shooting.
Three friends had been fishing together on the West Main Canal, when they observed a gray Jeep Cherokee driving in their direction. Once there, Salas-Fernandez allegedly got out of the Jeep and fired multiple rounds at them before fleeing in the Jeep toward the Donovan Estates area.
Deputies later located the Jeep a short time later in the 8400 block of Yavapai Lane. The YCSO’s Special Response Team and the Criminal Investigation Bureau, with the assistance of the Yuma Police Department’s Special Enforcement Team, served a search warrant at a residence where Salas-Fernandez was believed to be, but he was not there.
One of the victims in the shooting sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center and later flown to a Phoenix-area hospital. After being sought for nearly a month, Salas-Fernandez turned himself in to YCSO on Saturday.