LAKE HAVASU CITY — Its probation rather than prison for a Lake Havasu City man who attempted to shoot another man in the face more than five months ago. No one was hurt when the weapon malfunctioned.
Mohave County Superior Court judge Lee Jantzen rejected the state’s push for prison and placed Victor Rueda, 23, on probation for three years during a March 13 sentencing hearing in Kingman.
Defense attorney Brad Rideout said Rueda had been in an argument with his fiance on Nov. 2 before a number of people confronted him at a home in the 1200 block of Lake Havasu Avenue. Rideout said two men followed when Rueda entered a bedroom in the residence.
Rideout told the Court that Rueda asked the men to leave, and that he pulled and pointed a weapon and pulled the trigger. He said some of the encounter was captured on video and that you can hear the trigger click, but that a malfunction prevented the weapon from firing.
“I take some responsibility for what happened,” Rueda said. “I apologize greatly.”
Rideout said that Rueda suffers mental health issues and that his reckless conduct was fueled by alcohol, emotion and anger. He was convicted of aggravated assault through a plea agreement.
While ruling against prison, Judge Jantzen said Rueda placed others in danger. He imposed a 90 day jail sentence and ordered Rueda to perform 80 hours of community work service.
