A Minnesota man recently turned himself in to police after a Sept. 8 incident in connection to an accidental shooting. The 21-year-old man faces felony gun charges in relation to the accident.
Police said that the victim, a 20-year-old man, was driving his Pontiac Aztek on Orchard Street in Mt. Clemens at the time of the shooting. Investigators believed that the 21-year-old man was sitting in the backseat of the Aztek and was carrying a firearm that discharged a single round during the drive. The bullet traveled through the driver’s seat and struck the 20-year-old man in his back.
The 20-year-old continued driving and stopped in the parking lot of a high school on Cass Avenue. School security officers found the injured man in the lot after he got out of the Aztek. The security officers called in a shooting to the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators allege that the 21-year-old man got out of the car and fled before police arrived.
The 21-year-old turned himself in on Sept. 25. At his arraignment, he was charged with felony firearms, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, failure to stop and render aid, and careless discharge causing injury. The combined maximum prison sentence of all the charges totaled more than 9 years. The man was held on $10,000 cash or surety bail. His first court appearance was scheduled for Oct. 8.
Felony weapons possession charges carry harsh mandatory minimum prison sentences, and prosecutors may pursue the maximum sentences for people who have previous offenses on their records. A defense attorney’s strategies might include reviewing records relating to evidence collection and searches to ensure that investigating officers did not infringe upon a defendant’s rights.
Source: CBS Detroit, “21-Year-Old Mt. Clemens Man Faces Felony Charges In Accidental Shooting“, September 26, 2014
