FAYETTEVILLE -- The second of two men accused of attempted murder in the shooting of a Springdale teen last year pleaded guilty Tuesday in Washington County Circuit Court.
Jose Yanez, 19, of Rogers pleaded guilty to accomplice to second-degree attempted murder. Circuit Judge Joanna Taylor sentenced Yanez to 20 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction with 10 years suspended. He was given credit for 397 days of jail time served.
Hector Vega, 21, of Lowell was found guilty by a jury July 14 of attempted second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by certain persons, both felonies. Taylor followed the jury's recommendation and sentenced Vega to 55 years in prison. Vega also was ordered to pay a $7,000 fine.
Vega shot Joseph Garcia, 16, who stopped on his bicycle at the corner of Crawford and Marylyn streets in Springdale on June 25, 2015. Witnesses told police a car drove up and a man with a gun got out and approached Garcia, asked his gang affiliation and shot him, according to prosecutors.
Police said Yanez was the driver of the car.
Garcia suffered injuries to his left hand and left leg.
The shooting came less than five minutes after Vega and Yanez were involved in an fight with six rival gang members at a nearby convenience store, according to police.
Vega and Yanez are admitted members of the Wicked Brown Suspects. The rival gang members were Termite Loco Savages, according to prosecutors.
The rival gang members left the store on foot headed west, and Vega and Yanez left in a silver car, traveling the same direction.
Witnesses to the shooting reported hearing two gunshots and seeing a silver vehicle speed away from the scene.
In a related case, one of two teenagers who did not show up to testify at Vega's trial appeared before Taylor on Tuesday to explain why he failed to appear after being subpoenaed.
Antonio Martinez, 17, said he was concerned for the safety of his family. Martinez said his residence in Springdale had been shot at about a year before the Garcia shooting, but he did not know who shot or why his residence was targeted.
Martinez said he was not threatened about testifying.
"You were ordered to testify in a very, very serious trial," Taylor said. "I'm not going to send you to jail today, but if you ever fail to show up for court again, you will go to jail for violating an order of this court."
Bryan Ramirez, the other no-show witness, will appear before Taylor at a later date.
State Desk on 08/03/2016