(Woodland, CA) Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig announced that on February 4, 2014, a Yolo County Jury convicted Alejandro Garcia Yanez, 24, of Knights Landing, California of two crimes stemming from a January 29, 2013, incident in which Yanez shot himself. The Jury convicted Yanez of one felony count of possession of a controlled substance while armed with a loaded firearm and a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
On January 29, 2013, Yolo County Sherriff’s Deputies were dispatched to Knights Landing after a woman called 911 and said her boyfriend had been shot. Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the Knghts Landing home and found Yanez lying on the bed screaming and bleeding profusely with a .22 caliber rifle lying nearby. While providing medical attention to Yanez, deputies were able to confirm that Yanez had been using methamphetamine and shot himself through the left forearm while cleaning the rifle.
Yanez was air lifted to UC Davis Medical Center while deputies remained at his home and collected evidence, including the weapon, an expended firearm’s casing, methamphetamine, and a light bulb that had been converted into a methamphetamine smoking pipe.
During the course of the investigation, deputies discovered that in a separate but similar incident less than one year earlier Yanez shot himself in the right knee, also while using methamphetamine.
Deputy District Attorney Jared Favero, who prosecuted the case, praised the work of law enforcement. “Without the responsive and professional work of the Yolo County Sheriff’s Department, Yanez may have died because of his own actions.”
District Attorney Jeff Reisig noted the dangers of methamphetamine. “This case is simply another example of how methamphetamine contributes to erratic behavior. It is a very dangerous drug.”
Yesterday, the Honorable David Rosenberg, who presided over the trial, sentenced Yanez to three years formal probation and 150 days county jail.
For more information, please contact Cheif Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Raven via email at jonathan.raven@yolocounty.org.
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