Oct 2, 2008 3:09 pm US/Pacific
Man Opens Fire At Group Over $200 Dispute
MURRIETA
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A 42-year-old man, who reportedly fired two shots into a group of four people involving a dispute over $200, is behind bars Thursday.
AP
A 42-year-old man who allegedly fired two shots into a group of four people -- one of whom was 14 years old -- in San Jacinto was behind bars Thursday on $1 million bail, awaiting arraignment on an attempted murder charge.
Robert Martin Masiel, who lives on the Soboba Indian Reservation, was arrested Wednesday in the 43000 block of Benjamin Street by sheriff's deputies who served a search warrant and recovered numerous firearms, according to the sheriff's department.
Masiel, a Pechanga tribal member who has a home on the Soboba Indian Reservation, was staying at the Valley Vista address, sheriff's Detective Steven Fredericks said.
"He's got an extensive criminal history," he added.
Masiel is suspected of firing a 9mm pistol at four people in the backyard of a home at 379 Main St. in San Jacinto about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to the sheriff's department.
"It looks like he was angry over a debt," Fredericks said.
Rudy Saucedo, who said he has known Masiel for 20 years, told sheriff's deputies that Masiel fired the shots, according to a declaration in support of an arrest warrant filed by Fredericks.
Saucedo said he owed Masiel $200 from two years ago, Fredericks wrote in court papers.
"Masiel asked Saucedo for his money," Fredericks wrote. "Saucedo told him he had just been released from county jail, and would not be able to provide payment for one or two months."
Saucedo said he and his son Rudy Jr. were in the backyard of a man named Juan Becerril, along with and another man named Rick Brennan.
Everyone was helping Becerril clean up his property, Fredericks wrote.
"They were all standing in a group near the rear of the residence, when Masiel walked into the backyard from the opening at the alley," the
affidavit states.
Masiel said "this is for the money you owe me," and fired two shots in the direction of the group, Fredericks wrote in his affidavit.
Brennan jumped on his bicycle and left the scene because he has outstanding arrest warrants and didn't want to be there when deputies arrived, Fredericks wrote.
Masiel sped away in his gold, full-sized pickup truck, the court papers state.
In addition to attempted murder, Masiel is also charged with willful harm or injury to a child and being a convicted felon or narcotic addict in possession of a firearm.
Masiel served time in prison for a 1999 conviction for felony evading a peace officer. In 2003, he was convicted on a drug possession charge and received three years probation and rehabilitation. He violated probation in 2005 and was in and out of jail on bench warrants for failure to appear in court, according to court records.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
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