Charges filed in Merced police shooting case

Prosecutors on Wednesday filed felony charges against the two men accused of shooting a Merced police officer last weekend.

Jaime M. Caudillo of Los Banos and Steven P. Rincon of Fresno face possible life sentences in prison if convicted on the charges filed by the Merced County District Attorney’s Office, according to Mathew Martinez, the deputy district attorney prosecuting the case.

Caudillo, 30, was charged with the attempted murder of a police officer, assault with a firearm and several enhancements to the charges that would add additional prison time if found to be true. Those enhancements include personally using a firearm, criminal street gang participation and having a prior prison-strike offense on his criminal record, prosecutors said.

Caudillo has been identified by authorities as the shooter in the Saturday morning gunfight with police that left one officer injured.

The incident was reported about 2:30 a.m. Saturday in the 2100 block of H Street. An officer who stopped a red 2013 Chrysler 200 on a traffic violation was wounded when one of the occupants opened fire moments after being pulled over, police reported.

Other officers who had responded to the call to provide routine backup for the traffic stop returned fire on the occupants of the vehicle, police said. Despite the exchange of gunfire, police said, the Chrysler managed to drive off with some officers in pursuit.

The Chrysler crashed a short time later and the two suspects were eventually captured after a search of the surrounding neighborhood, police said.

Since the shooting, the injured officer has been released from the hospital and is recovering at home. The names of the officers involved in the subsequent shootout have not been disclosed.

Caudillo was shot during the gunfire exchange. He was treated at a regional hospital before being booked into the Merced County Jail.

Rincon, 24, was charged with assault with a firearm and enhancements of street gang participation and having a prior prison-strike offense, Martinez said.

Rincon, who was identified by authorities as the driver of the vehicle, was not charged with attempted murder, prosecutors confirmed. “At this point, I don’t think we can prove (Rincon’s) state of mind during (the incident), which you need to do for an attempted murder charge,” Martinez said.

Martinez said it was too early to comment further on specific details of the case.

Caudillo and Rincon appeared briefly Wednesday in Merced Superior Court, but did not enter any pleas.

Commissioner Jeanne E. Schechter appointed the Merced County Public Defender’s Office to represent Caudillo and said another contract public defender would be assigned to Rincon’s case. Schechter revoked Caudillo’s probation and bail, and set Rincon’s bail at $670,000.

Both men were ordered to return to court Monday for arraignment.

Caudillo and Rincon have criminal histories in Merced County that include assault convictions and multiple stints in state prison, as well as numerous parole and probation violations.

Caudillo was most recently released from prison Oct. 18. Rincon was last released from prison Jan. 14, according to records from the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Both defendants remained in custody Wednesday at the John Latorraca Correctional Facility.

This story was originally published March 4, 2015 at 12:42 PM with the headline "Charges filed in Merced police shooting case."