By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – A man accused of a drive-by shooting in Centralia from 2006 made a plea deal yesterday instead of going to trial.
Colbert A. Salmeron
Colbert A. Salmeron was 19 years old when he was arrested after an incident on the 500 block of North Tower Avenue.
A group of four individuals were standing next to a pickup truck in a parking lot when someone – allegedly Salmeron – fired several shots shattering its window and striking a nearby car and another truck, according to charging documents. No persons were hit.
Salmeron was facing multiple charges of first-degree assault and hiding out in El Salvador when he was captured last year.
Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Colin Hayes said he believed Salmeron was motivated to plead guilty because of a similar case during that period when Centralia teenager Guadalupe Solis-Diaz Jr. was sentenced to more than 90 years in prison.
“Mr. Salmeron could have been in a similar situation had he been convicted as charged,” Hayes said.
Police said both incidents were gang-related.
Salmeron, now 25, faces a sentence of somewhere between about 14 years and a little more than 19 years in prison.
He pleaded guilty yesterday in Lewis County Superior Court to one count of first-degree assault, two counts of third-degree assault and bail jumping.
The prosecutor’s office dropped a charge of drive-by shooting, a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm, and firearm enhancements which each add mandatory extra time that must be served consecutively.
Salmeron has been described by police as a Texas resident who was visiting Centralia that summer, and as associated with the Little Valley Lokotes.
One of the alleged targets, Brandon Cagle, told police he had a brief relationship with Salmeron’s ex-girlfriend, and he believed that was why they were shot at, charging documents state. The others named as standing near the pickup truck are Tyson Anderson, Michael Lumpert and Katie Sullivan. Salmeron named Edgar Juarez as one of the victims in his formal statement of guilt yesterday.
His sentencing is set for Jan. 25 at 1 p.m.
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Read background on the case, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
lewis county is corrupt!
Really? Were you here when I filled out my ballot? You suck it.
You people voted for him! Now suck it up and like it~
Jon Meyers looked me square in the face and stated that”there is a fine line between a pervert and a criminal” as he explained he would not be prosecuting a 47 year old man for having sex with a 15/16 year old girl while her mother watched. Even though he had extensive and detailed admissions from all there parties he refused to prosecute due to the fact the victim had turned 16 just one month before authorities were made aware of the situation. Jon Meyer is a worthless POS
George says: “I think we need a new prosecutor….”
I couldn’t agree with you more!
Let’s see, Meyer began his term in 2010, which means we won’t get to vote for someone new until Nov. 2013. I guess Lewis County will remain an attractive location to those who wish to commit crimes without fear of LONG prison sentences!
As of yet, I have been thoroughly UNIMPRESSED with our prosecutor. I’d rather see him do the right thing in the name of justice (i.e. charge/prosecute someone for murder/attempted murder/manslaughter) and let a JURY decide than to allow a plea deal that results in a slap on the wrist for taking a man’s life.
I am trying to wrap my head around how salmeron and solis-diaz did not actually shoot anyone but wrather at someone and get 19 yrs and 92 1/2 years yet someone who actually murdered someone gets 9 months?!?!? I understand and completley agree that their intention was to harm or kill someone however they did not…. I also think they should get a significant amount of jail time but I have to say that actually killing someone should get more jail time than just attempting….yes I get it that they sprayed bullets into a crowd and it could have hit numerouse ppl but again we cannot lock them up for what may have happened …..while a murderer will be free this year our windows will be safe for the next 19-92 1/2 years!!! All I am saying is make the punishment fit the crime!!
So salmeron was shooting at innocent people. He hides. Then flees state and country -correct? His bail set at the highest level in l.c. history.? Fires attorney after attorney and gets a freaking plea bargain. Lock his ass up and throw the key away.
Thank you George thought I was the only one thinking that! I get it our tax dollars pay for the trial and they want to save some $ but if the case is such a slam dunk why bother with a plea? I don’t get it! This is one scary thing to know that our prosectutors r more worried about a conviction percentage than actual justice!! DISGUSTING!!
So, he KNEW that he was going to get locked up for a LONG time if he went to trial, and the prosecutor knew that too…. and STILL the prosecutor offered this “person” a plea deal?
To make matters worse, he goes to prison for 14-19 years, and someone who MURDERED someone gets 9 months? I think we need a new prosecutor….