A man who shot a bicyclist in Blythe following an argument over a dice game pleaded guilty to assault with a gun Monday and was immediately sentenced to four years in state prison — time he has already served.
Deveon Keyshawn Smith, 27, of Blythe, pleaded guilty to the charge Monday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio and was immediately sentenced to four years in prison. Riverside County District Attorney’s Office public information officer Brooke Beare said Smith has already served that long behind bars, so he was released on parole.
According to a declaration in support of Smith’s arrest warrant, officers responded at around 10:30 p.m. April 11, 2018, to a report of a shooting in Blythe.
Upon arrival, officers found a man with a single gunshot wound to his back who said he was riding his bicycle near Barnard Street and Palm Drive when he heard gunshots and felt the pain. The man said he didn’t have any enemies and didn’t know who shot him.
Officers spoke with a witness at the scene and were told that the victim had an argument with Smith over a dice game, according to the warrant. A second witness who saw the shooting called 911 and reported it to the Blythe Police Department.
She said she was driving in the area with her two children and her child’s friend in her vehicle when she heard and saw two men arguing, one whom she recognized as Smith, according to the warrant. She told officers that she kept driving, looked back, saw “sparks,” and heard several gunshots before she drove away and called police.
At the scene, officers found five spent ammunition casings.
Smith was arrested in August 2018.