A Jurupa Valley gang member accused of shooting a man and forcibly taking another’s vehicle pleaded not guilty Monday to attempted murder and other charges.
George Eduardo Acuna Ayala, 25, was arrested by Riverside County sheriff’s deputies earlier this month in connection with the two unrelated incidents.
Along with attempted murder, Ayala is charged with carjacking, auto theft, robbery, felony evading and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.
He was arraigned before Superior Court Judge David Gunn, who scheduled a felony settlement conference for Dec. 12 at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
According to sheriff’s Sgt. Nathan Padilla, Ayala allegedly carjacked a man at gunpoint in Jurupa Valley, taking the victim’s 2005 Ford F-250 pickup and fleeing the area before deputies arrived the night of Nov. 3.
Four days later, the convicted felon confronted a man in the 5800 block of Samantha Place in Jurupa Valley, shooting the victim twice, inflicting non-life-threatening wounds, Padilla alleged. A possible motive was not disclosed.
Sheriff’s Gang Task Task Force investigators quickly identified him as the alleged gunman, culminating in his arrest that afternoon on Fort Street. He was allegedly at the wheel of the stolen pickup when taken into custody.
According to court records, Ayala has served time in state prison, with prior convictions for first-degree burglary, receiving stolen property, being in possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest.
He’s being held in lieu of $1.7 million bail at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta.