A man who shot a San Jacinto homeowner and broke several bones while trying to make his getaway pleaded guilty Friday to attempted murder and other charges.
Mario Duenas Martinez, 37, admitted to the felony charge, along with sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations, just as his case was set to proceed to trial.
Riverside County Superior Court Judge Jorge Hernandez scheduled a sentencing hearing for Jan. 7 at the Banning Justice Center.
Martinez is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta.
The defendant was arrested after the confrontation in the 1700 block of Wheatfield Way, near Ramona Boulevard.
Martinez entered the two-story residence in the mid-morning hours of April 23, 2017, to speak with the occupants, though no other details were disclosed.
“A firearm was introduced during the contact, and a struggle ensued over the weapon, causing the discharge of multiple rounds,” according to sheriff’s Sgt. Robert Duckett.
The homeowner was struck but not seriously wounded, and moments later, Martinez jumped from an upper-floor window, injuring himself but managing to hobble to his vehicle and speed away northbound, Duckett said.
The victim called 911, providing a description of Martinez’s vehicle, which deputies stopped within minutes at the Ramona Expressway and Sanderson Avenue, according to investigators.
Martinez surrendered without a struggle and was taken to Riverside University Medical Center in Moreno Valley for treatment of his injuries. He fully recovered.
The wounded homeowner was also hospitalized and made a complete recovery.
Martinez has no documented prior felony convictions.
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