Mitigation hearing set for defendant in rifle-pointing case
Judge set to impose prison sentence
Thursday’s sentencing in Yuma County Superior Court for one of the suspects charged in connection to an incident in which a gun was allegedly pointed at another driver was postponed after the attorney representing him was informed that a prison sentence would be imposed.
During what was to be Vincent Anthony Shepard’s sentencing, Superior Court Judge David Haws informed attorney Michael Donovan Eugene Marquez that it was the court’s intention to impose a presumptive prison sentence of 3 1/2 years on his client, with credit for any time already served.
Upon hearing the court’s intentions, Donovan requested a mitigation hearing. Shepard, who remains in custody at Yuma County jail on a $20,000 bond, accepted a plea agreement from prosecutors at his Dec. 5 hearing.
In return for his guilty plea to a modified charge of attempted aggravated assault, charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possessing a deadly weapon or prohibited weapon, possession of a weapon by a prohibited possessor and possession of drug paraphernalia would be dropped. Haws granted Donovan’s request and scheduled a mitigation hearing for 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 6, with sentencing to follow.
According to Yuma police, at about 2 a.m. on Feb. 16, officers were dispatched to the 1300 block of South 4th Avenue in response to a report of an aggravated assault.
The victim, a 21-year-old female, told police that she had been driving northbound on 4th Avenue when a white Toyota Camry pulled up next to her, and that a passenger in that car pointed a rifle at her.
The victim immediately turned off of 4th Avenue, while the suspects’ vehicle continued heading north, where it was later located and stopped by officers in the 600 block of South 4th Avenue.
All of the occupants in the white Toyota Camry were taken into custody. A shotgun, drugs and drug paraphernalia were found inside the vehicle.