A two-strike felon accused of shooting a man in the head last weekend in Indio, leaving him in critical condition, pleaded not guilty Thursday to an attempted murder charge.
John Kevin Medina, 39, of Indio, also denied sentence-enhancing allegations of causing great bodily injury and using a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Bail was set at $1 million and an April 3 date was scheduled for a preliminary hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.
According to the felony criminal complaint, the victim, identified only as “Filberto C.,” suffered a brain injury.
Ben Guitron, an Indio police spokesman, said Thursday the victim remains hospitalized in “critical, yet stable” condition.
Medina allegedly shot the man in the head about 12:40 a.m. Saturday in the 44700 block of King Street, just south of Indio Boulevard. Responding officers found a white van that had crashed into parked vehicles on King Street and the wounded victim insided, police said.
Detectives arrested Medina about 1 a.m. Tuesday on Monroe Street near Avenue 42, according to police, who did not specify how they linked him to the crime.
There has been no word on a motive.
Court records show Medina has seven felony conviction, all in Riverside County, including attempted assault with a firearm and criminal threats, which are both strike offenses. Medina was also previously convicted of evading arrest, embezzlement and possession of a controlled substance for sale.