Springdale man pleads innocent in shooting
FAYETTEVILLE — A Springdale man pleaded innocent to two counts of attempted murder in connection with a shooting near Lake Fayetteville that killed one person and injured several others in February.
Alberto Esteban-Cruz, 21, is charged in Washington County Circuit Court with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, committing a terroristic act and engaging in a continuing criminal gang, organization or enterprise. He was given a June 13 court date before Circuit Judge Mark Lindsay.
Esteban-Cruz was being held Friday on $750,000 bond in the Washington County jail. He faces 10 to 40 years in prison or a life sentence if convicted of attempted first-degree murder.
Fayetteville police received a call from Springdale police about 11:15 p.m. Feb. 15 reporting shots fired in the area of Powell Street in Springdale and Lakeview Drive in Fayetteville, according to Fayetteville police spokesman Sgt. Stephen Mauk.
When police arrived at 599 E. Lakeview Drive — the Lake Fayetteville Environmental Studies Center — they found Christian Alexander Rodriguez-Barroso, 18, of Springdale had been killed in the shooting, according to police. His body was lying in the road.
Mauk said four people were taken to hospitals with what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries. All of the victims were between 18 and 20 years old and lived in Springdale, he said.
Witnesses said Esteban-Cruz, a passenger in a BMW, fired a pistol from the vehicle toward a Chevrolet Silverado pickup as both were leaving the scene, according to a preliminary report filed with prosecutors.
The driver of the pickup suffered injuries to his arm, according to police. Multiple bullet holes were found in the pickup’s driver’s side door window, passenger side body and rear window. An intact .45-caliber bullet was recovered from the door of the pickup.
Police say a passenger in the pickup was endangered by the gunfire as well.
Esteban-Cruz admitted during an interview with Fayetteville police he was at Lake Fayetteville for a prearranged fight between a group of his friends and an opposing group, according to the report. He told police someone pointed an AR-15 pistol in his face and threatened to kill him, the report says.
Esteban-Cruz told police he had a .45-caliber pistol in his pocket but did not reach for it because it did not have a round chambered and he believed he would not have time to load it before being shot by the other individual, according to the report.
Esteban-Cruz told police as the fight broke up, he got into the front passenger seat of the BMW while the person who had pointed the AR15 at him got into the pickup, then pointed the AR-15 at the BMW, the report says. Esteban-Cruz said he fired first and emptied all 10 rounds from his .45 toward the pickup. Multiple .45-caliber shell casings were found at the scene, according to the report.
Esteban-Cruz told police the pistol ended up missing
Police say a passenger in the pickup was endangered by the gunfire as well.
after he got “black-out drunk” at a party a few days after the shooting, the report says.
A search of Esteban-Cruz’s bedroom turned up an empty pistol case along with multiple magazines, ammunition and an empty holster, according to the report.
Gilberto Gordillo, 19, of 1406 Powell St. in Springdale, was arrested Feb. 21 in connection with the incident. During a court appearance March 15, he pleaded innocent to one count of capital murder and four counts of attempted capital murder. Gordillo was given a Nov. 4 court date before Lindsay.
Jose Luis Casillas, 20, of 394 Brinley St. in Tontitown, was arrested March 20 in connection with unlawful discharge of a firearm from a vehicle, aggravated assault, terroristic threatening and engaging in a violent criminal group activity. His arraignment is set for Wednesday.
Pablo Santiago Garcia, 20, of 604 Citrine St. in Lowell, was arrested by Fayetteville police Wednesday in connection with hindering apprehension or prosecution and tampering with physical evidence. Garcia was being held Friday at the Washington County jail in lieu of $100,000 bond.