KINGMAN – Nothing of substance occurred during a brief Tuesday hearing conducted in the adult prosecution of a Kingman teenager who is facing potential extensive prison time in a deadly high profile traffic accident. The pre-trial conference in the case against Brady Shuffler lasted less than six minutes.
Shuffler, 16, is charged with two counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of Sherene “Siri” Walema, 15, and Tatum Meins, 17. He also faces aggravated assault charges for injuries suffered by two male teenagers who survived the April 16 single vehicle rollover.
Shuffler is also charged with a DUI-related offense involving marijuana and criminal damage for destruction of utility poles. Police reports indicate Shuffler was speeding at or above 100 miles per hour when he lost control of the 2020 Dodge Charger Scat Pack Widebody he was driving, resulting in the rollover and ejection of all passengers.
Defense attorney Ken Sheffield informed Mohave County Superior Court Judge Derek Carlisle that prosecutor James Schoppmann has made a plea offer in an attempt to resolve the case short of trial. Carlisle noted he’ll stay out of any plea deal negotiation that attorneys might be engaged in.
Sheffield also indicated that the state has complied with disclosure rules and that attorneys require no other court involvement at this time. Judge Carlisle scheduled the defendant’s next court date for early next month.
“Mr. Shuffler your next hearing’s on Nov. 8. Assuming that it is simply a status hearing you can again appear by Zoom,” the judge said. “If the hearing is a change of plea you will have to be here in person. By my comments Mr. Shuffler I’m not suggesting that you should or should not plead guilty or enter a plea agreement or that you should or should not go to trial. All I’m saying is that if it’s a change of plea you’ll have to be here in person.”
