Jaime Rodriguez Jr. of Ukiah just turned 19 last month, and he has already been in a lot of trouble. He had been arrested once each month from the beginning of 2015, but up until now, none of his crimes have been caused injury, or potential death.
On January 4, 18-year-old Rodriguez was arrested by Mendocino Sheriff’s deputies and charged with burglary and possession of stolen property. That was followed on February 7 with an arrest for public intoxication and possession of drug paraphernalia.
18-year-old Jaime Rodriguez enjoying a beer with a friend in a car (Facebook)
The next incident had the potential for danger, but did not result in any injuries. It was early Sunday, March 15 just after midnight when Ukiah police spotted a gold Acura speeding north on State Street. As the officer pursued the car, it accelerated up to 50 miles per hour and did not respond to the lights and siren of the patrol car.
While being chased, the driver, Rodriguez, turned into a driveway next to an optometrist’s office, which leads to a dead end in a residential area. He ran from the car, ignoring the officer’s commands to stop, and climbed a fence into the Slam Dunk Pizza parking lot.
According to a police report, other officers responded to the chase, and set up a perimeter in the area. He was soon found in the next lot, hiding behind the parole office building. He was tested and found to be under the influence of alcohol, and did not have a driver’s license. He was charged with DUI, resisting arrest, and driving without a license.
He was not done yet, however. On April 10, he was caught by Ukiah area Highway Patrol officers in a stolen vehicle. He initially tried to evade them as well, but he was soon caught, and presented false identification. He was eventually identified, and arrested for vehicle theft, possession of stolen property, resisting arrest, and presenting false documents to an officer.
Rodriguez brought the shooting victim out to the front of this house until help arrived.
Rodriguez was at a friend’s home this Wednesday night, at the corner of Canyon Drive and Rosemary Lane. According to the Sheriff’s Office, after midnight, from the back yard of the home, a shot was fired, and police were called. Officers from Ukiah Police, and Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the location. They found a 12-year-old boy in front of the house suffering from a gunshot wound to his face and neck area. They administered first aid and called for emergency medical services. He was taken to Ukiah Valley Medical Center for further treatment.
Jaime Rodriguez, who was with the boy, said that they had been victims of a drive-by shooting. But as the officers and deputies investigated the scene and interviewed Rodriguez and other witnesses, the truth came out.
While in the backyard, Rodriguez had pulled out a handgun, and began showing it to the others. As he moved it around, the gun fired, striking the boy at point blank range. Rodriguez carried him out to the front, and a neighbor called 911 for help. Rodriguez concealed the gun, and came up with his drive-by shooting story.
Rodriguez was arrested and charged with discharging a firearm in a grossly negligent manner and willfully causing great bodily injury to a child. The gun was located at the scene. He was also charged on three outstanding warrants for some of his earlier offenses. Bail was set at $160,000. The victim of the shooting, after life saving measures were administered in Ukiah, was airlifted for further treatment at an out of county facility. Anyone with any information about the suspect or the incident is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Unit at 707-234-2100.
