The 41-year-old Hollister man accused of shooting his mother
three times, once in the face, was sentenced today to 12 years in
prison after his attorney had reached a plea deal with
prosecutors.
The 41-year-old Hollister man accused of shooting his mother three times, once in the face, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison after his attorney had reached a plea deal with prosecutors.
Ruben A. Garcia had been charged with first-degree attempted murder. With a prior strike on his record for battery with serious bodily injury, Garcia had faced a sentence, if convicted in a potential trial, of 55 years to life in prison.
Instead, Garcia is found guilty of mayhem along with a special allegation for using a firearm. The mayhem charge calls for two years and the special allegation calls for 10 years in prison.
His attorney was Public Defender Greg LaForge, while Deputy District Patrick Palacios handled the prosecution, which had difficulty getting the mother to testify.
Authorities suspect Garcia shot his mother in her face, arm and hand June 1 of 2008 after an argument over finances. She survived the attack after treatment at a Bay Area hospital.
Two days later, police discovered Garcia locked into his home near Cerra Vista Elementary School on Brighton Avenue. Authorities then engaged in a four-hour standoff before the suspect turned himself in without further confrontation.
