11/5/2009 10:35:00 PM
Horse riders testify WV man shot at them as they rode
| |
|
A woman who called 911 after she heard gunshots while riding horses with six other people in Williamson Valley testified Thursday in Steve Solomon's assault and endangerment trial at the Yavapai County Superior Courthouse in Prescott.
Steve Solomon of Williamson Valley faces 15 counts of aggravated assault, shooting and endangerment after seven people riding horses past Solomon's property on Oct. 5, 2008 said someone shot at them.
Two riders said they saw Steve Solomon shoot in their direction, but Solomon denies shooting, according to the statement read to jurors in Judge William T. Kiger's courtroom on Wednesday during jury selection.
Karen Barker of Williamson Valley said she and six others came under fire near Solomon's property.
"At the time I heard shots, I was the last person in line, and the first order of business was making sure my horse was under control," Barker said.
Barker said her horse, Gus, spun at the sound of gunfire. After she got Gus under control and was under the cover of trees, Barker said she dug about in her horn bag for her cell phone and called 911.
Deputy County Attorney Edward France played an audio clip from the 911 tape for the jury. On the tape, Barker could be heard saying, "We're being shot at in Mint Creek in Williamson Valley," to the 911 operator. The 911 operator asked, "Who's doing the shooting?" Barker responded, "Steve Solomon. I'm sure you can hear that." The sounds of gunfire were audible on the tape.
Barker said she lost sight of the other riders until the shooting subsided, when she saw her husband and another rider riding toward her and "they appeared to be as shook up as I was."
Barker said she thought the shooter had been moving because the point of origin of the shots seemed to move, but she did not see the shooter. Lead defense attorney David Shapiro asked Barker if she had a law enforcement, military service, or other background that would help her determine the shots' point of origin. She responded no, she did not.
"Would you say the fusillade of shots from the Solomon house was too many to count?" Shapiro asked Barker.
"Correct," said Barker in response.
During his opening statements, Shapiro described the area around Solomon's home as having a "simple, modest shooting range," a backhoe, and solar panels. Shapiro described Solomon's lifestyle as "off the grid."
"We're going to find out Mr. Solomon likes guns. He's a machinist, not a hunter. He likes to take guns apart and put them back together again," Shapiro said.
|
Posted: Monday, November 09, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
According to this witness she was the last one in the group, heard shots but didn't see who was shooting -- Oh, yes, it has to be Steve -- just because. This is ridiculous. This is a set-up. These people want what they want regardlesss of how it infringes on other people's rights. If you ride in a country setting, you need to accept what you get -- a gun shot, a bull dozer, or a mountain lion facing you in the trail. If you don't like it, ride somewhere else.
These people need to be shut down. These types of frivolous lawsuites tie up our court system and cost us taxpayers money that could be spent on trying real criminals. Unfortunately, there is no recourse against these people. There should be!
Posted: Monday, November 09, 2009
Article comment by:
coyotesyl
Another mistrail, what is going on here? How much more is Steve supposed to endore based assumptions from Karen Barker and associates .They can't even be sure the shots were being fired at them. Maybe they were riding on private property, heard shots and thought they were directed at them. Shots fired in a forest can be heard very far away. Hopefully the judge will rule in their favor and dismiss the charges.
Posted: Sunday, November 08, 2009
Article comment by:
GF
These people who have brought charges against Steve must be on some kind of power trip or something. They have charged others with the same offense. Are they trying to clear out the area so they can have it all to themselves? When riding horses you must expect and be prepared for anything. The parcels in this area are large. People have the right there to the second amendment as do we all. It's their property, their privacy, their rights! I say leave them alone.
Posted: Sunday, November 08, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
(Site administrator's note: This comment was removed because it violated our Terms of Use Agreement)
Posted: Sunday, November 08, 2009
Article comment by:
RH
I agree that the story these people have told sounds very fishy! If this witness claims that she was the last rider in the group, did not see the shooter, but was positive that the shots were fired by Mr. Solomon. Funny, if she couldn't see who was doing the shooting, how did she know the shots were fired by him? The only conclusion one can get from this is that all the riders decided what the best story would be to tell the police. Talk about a misuse of the judicial system! Oh, yeah, hey Speedy Gonzales...where does it say that he was shooting an AK-47? Get your facts straight!
Posted: Saturday, November 07, 2009
Article comment by:
NRA Member
Wow, since when is a young Arizona native an "old goat" "californian" "newby"? This proves that most comments posted are submitted by people with uninformed opinions only. The court is open to the public. Check it out, get some facts and then chime in. It's a very interesting case. I love guns, hunting and horses and Solomon has lost his right to all of them.
Posted: Saturday, November 07, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
How about trying this case in the courts and not in the press! What has been reported is a snipet of the whole story - there is MUCH more. Be careful about jumping to premature conclusions - on either side.
Posted: Friday, November 06, 2009
Article comment by:
RickKramer
I remember when Williamson Valley road was dirt less than 5 miles from the Iron Spring intersection. We shot deer, javelina and rabbits where there are houses today.
So we have a Psuedo- Hunter S. Thompson in the area.
I like it.
Newby's have to
Posted: Friday, November 06, 2009
Article comment by:
Chuck Bordenave
Being rude is NOT against the law. If it was, most of the government officials would be in trouble!!!!
Posted: Friday, November 06, 2009
Article comment by:
ua350z@yahoo.com
This sounds fishy. Set-up? maybe. Doesnt sound like somthing someone would say to a 911 operator while being shoot at... "yes, hellp, Mr. so-and-so, is shooting at us...im sure you can hear that..." ya right gimme a break. I can smell bitter horse owners tired of this guy doing target practice at his house. By the way mint wash is like 25 miles out WV.
Posted: Friday, November 06, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
When I lived in the country; I shot off of my back porch at some targets I had set up.
It is legal and moral to do so.
Shooting at targets on your property while knowing that a group of horseback riders are near is rude and dangerous.
The real question is did Mr. Soloman know that there was a group of horseback riders going by his property?
If so, he is rude and should be charged with a minor offense.
If not, then leave him alone.
I have had the pleasure of hearing bullets whiz over my head. The people riding horses apparently have not...
Posted: Friday, November 06, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
I thought that it is illegal to discharge a firearm within .5 miles of a residence. Is a shooting range allowed on a residential property? I Doubt it.
Posted: Friday, November 06, 2009
Article comment by:
d.l.
The editor has removed this comment because it violates the Terms of Use
agreement for dCourier.com. The "Use of Service" portion states, "If you use
the Service, including the Messages Boards or Blogs, or submit essays,
e-mail messages or other ++-- via www.courieraz.com or
www.prescottaz.com, you agree to abide by and be bound by the following:
1. You may not post, upload, or transmit any material or links to material
that is libelous, defamatory, false, misleading, obscene, indecent, lewd,
pornographic, violent, abusive, threatening, harassing, discriminatory,
racist, vulgar, invasive of anotheršs privacy, illegal, constitutes hate
speech, or harms minors in any way. You may not post content that degrades
others on the basis of gender, race, class, ethnicity, national origin,
religion, sexual preference, disability or other classification. Epithets
and other language intended to intimidate or to incite violence will not be
tolerated. Debate, but donšt attack. The Daily Courier encourages vibrant
discussions and welcomes active debate in its discussion forums. But
personal attacks are not tolerated, and are a direct violation of these
Terms of Use."
Indecipherable.
Posted: Friday, November 06, 2009
Article comment by:
native
Hey speedy lets lock up all the roughians so all you Californians can relax on your nature rides. Must be awful with those loud bangs going off.
Posted: Friday, November 06, 2009
Article comment by:
learn to ride
Sounds like a setup for that man Steve.Abunch of old goats riding horses.Besides its hunting season.By a horse that doent spok from gun fire
|
|
Article Comment Submission Form
|
|
