Today, Judge Feeney sentenced 25-year-old Shawn Hof Jr.
of Carlotta, to 20 years in prison for assault with a firearm upon a peace
officer (Penal Code section 245(d)(1)) with an
enhancement of personally using
a firearm (Penal Code section 12022.53(b)), being a felon in possession of a
firearm (Penal Code section 29800(a)(1)), using threats and violence
upon an
executive officer (Penal Code section 69), and negligently discharging a
firearm at an occupied vehicle (Penal Code section 246.3(a)). Mr. Hof was also
convicted of a
misdemeanor violation of “spotlighting,” using artificial light
to hunt wildlife (Fish and Game Code section 2005(a)). By law, Mr. Hof must serve a minimum of 85%
of his 20-year
term because of the serious nature of the offenses.
On August 21, 2016 at about 12:40 am, California Department
of Fish and Wildlife Officer Matthew Wells attempted to stop two individuals in
a truck who were spotlighting
along Redwood House Road off Highway 36 near
Carlotta. Mr. Hof fired a .45-caliber pistol approximately six times in the
direction of Officer Wells, who was in his patrol truck. A
vehicle pursuit ensued, during which Mr.
Hof jumped into the passenger seat of the truck, reloaded his pistol, and fired
approximately four more times in the direction of Officer
Wells. None of the
shots hit the officer or his patrol vehicle. The 8-mile pursuit ended when the
driver, 19-year-old Thomas Wheeler of Fortuna, lost control of the vehicle and
crashed. Mr. Hof and Mr. Wheeler fled the scene, but law enforcement
investigators identified the two suspects shortly after. Mr. Hof surrendered to law enforcement
officers
in August 2017.
The accomplice, Mr. Wheeler, was sentenced last month to a
suspended sentence of eight years in state prison for aiding and abetting the
assault on a peace officer using a
firearm (Penal Code section 245(d)(1)),
evading a peace officer with wanton and reckless disregard for person and
property (Vehicle code section 2800.2(a)), two misdemeanor
violations for
allowing another person to shoot from a vehicle, and spotlighting.
Deputy District Attorney Adrian Kamada, who prosecuted the
case, stated that, “Officer Wells showed incredible resolve in pursuing the two
defendants despite taking fire while
alone in a remote area of our County in
the middle of the night. I appreciate his dedication to protecting our natural
resources and commitment to protecting the public.”
On
January 9, 2018 Superior Court Judge Feeney sentenced 17-year-old Matthew Snider to 7 years in a Juvenile
Justice facility for the crime of residential burglary (Penal Code
§459 –
460(a)) while in possession of a firearm (Penal Code §12022(a)(1)). Judge Feeney determined Snider’s sentence
because Judge Hinrichs concluded that Snider should be
tried as an adult
following a hearing in June 2017.
The conviction stems from Snider’s
actions in November 2016. On November
20, Eureka Police Officer Bise responded to a burglary call in the 1500 block
of L Street in Eureka
and found the residence ransacked. Security footage showed four subjects
approaching the residence. Subsequent investigation revealed one subject
entered the residence
through a bathroom skylight. Multiple personal items were
stolen during the burglary, including jewelry.
On
November 26, Eureka Police Officer Southwell responded to a burglary alarm at
the same address. Officer Southwell
received back-up from additional officers from the Eureka Police Department
and
a K9 (police dog) Unit from the Fortuna Police Department. The K9 found Snider hiding in a dryer. Snider was wearing jewelry stolen from the
residence on November 20. Officers
observed a
pile of personal belongings stacked by the front door of the
residence; the security alarm had been ripped off the wall and
disconnected. Access to the residence
had been gained by breaking a sliding
glass door.
Later inspection of surveillance footage
revealed Snider exiting the driver’s seat of a vehicle parked in the driveway,
then walking to the back of the residence holding a firearm at his side. The
homeowner later located the loaded
firearm that Snider brought into the residence under some clothes in a laundry
basket.