Trial date could be near for shooting suspect
Because no plea deal has been offered yet, a Yuma County Superior Court judge on Wednesday scheduled a date to set a trial for one of the two suspects charged in connection to the shooting of a 22-year-old Somerton man, and granted a defense request for a settlement conference.
In what was a brief hearing in Yuma County Superior Court before Superior Court Judge Brandon Kinsey, attorney Valerie McNeice, of the Yuma County Public Defender’s Office, who represents Anthony Serrano, requested a twoweek continuance.
She explained there has been some discussion about a potential plea, but no offer has been made yet.
Serrano, who remains in custody at the Yuma County jail on a $500,000 cash-only bond, has been charged with attempted 1stdegree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and burglary and possession of a weapon by a prohibited possessor.
McNeice, saying she wanted to keep the case moving, also requested a settlement conference, which is a formal meeting in which the prosecutor, defense attorney and the judge meet to see if a deal can be made to avoid going to trial.
According t o prosecutor Steve Kihom, who was in attendance, the reason McNeice has not received a plea offer yet, is that the prosecutor assigned to the case, Yancy Garner, is waiting for a supplemental report that could change the complexity of the case.
After hearing from both counsel, Judge Kinsey denied McNeice’s request for a continuance and scheduled Serrano’s next court appearance for a status hearing or trial setting for 8:30 a.m. on March 21.
The judge did, however, transfer Serrano’s case to the presiding judge, who will appoint a different judge to preside over the settlement conference that McNeice had requested.
According to Somerton police, officers found out about the July shooting while investigating a traffic accident on Highway 95 at milepost 13. Upon their arrival on scene, officers learned that a passenger in one of the vehicles involved in the traffic crash had been shot moments earlier in Somerton.
The victim, a 22-year-old male who had been shot once, was transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center by paramedics from the Cocopah/Somerton Fire Department. He was later airlifted to a medical facility in Phoenix.
The driver of that vehicle was attempting to take the victim to YRMC when the crash occurred.
Investigating officers also learned the shooting had occurred at an address in the 600 block of East Orchid Street in Somerton prior to the traffic crash. Officers responded to the location, which was found to be unoccupied, and the scene was secured for crime scene processing.
Witness information was obtained from several individuals and a description of the suspects and vehicle was broadcast to area law enforcement agencies.
During the course of the investigation, Serrano and Martin Guzman were identified as suspects. They were both taken into custody without incident on July 27 at a residence in the 3100 block of West 17¾ Street in Somerton.
Guzman has a chang-eof-plea hearing in Yuma County Superior Court scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 22.
James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 5396854. Find him on Facebook at www. Facebook.com/YSJamesGilbert or on Twitter @YSJamesGilbert.