A 43-year-old man accused of shooting and wounding another motorist during a road rage confrontation on the Riverside (91) Freeway must stand trial on attempted murder and other charges, a judge ruled Friday.
Maurice Orlando Stells Jr. of Moreno Valley was arrested in December following a California Highway Patrol investigation.
At the end of a preliminary hearing Friday, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Francisco Navarro found there was sufficient evidence to bound Stells over for trial on the attempted murder count, along with firearm assault resulting in great bodily injury and shooting at an occupied vehicle, as well as sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.
The judge scheduled a post-preliminary hearing arraignment for May 1 at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
The defendant is free on a $1 million bond.
According to the CHP, on the night of last Dec. 14, Stells was involved in an unspecified dispute with the other driver, whose identity was not disclosed, along the westbound 91 near downtown Riverside.
Officer Javier Navarro — no relation to the judge — said the defendant was at the wheel of a Chevrolet Camaro traveling at an unconfirmed speed and allegedly opened fire on the victim, unleashing “an unknown number of rounds” before racing away.
The victim was struck by at least one bullet but managed to pull over safely and call for help. He was taken to a Riverside hospital and underwent surgery, from which he has since recovered.
Navarro said detectives soon developed leads pointing to Stells as the alleged perpetrator.
The defendant was summoned to the Riverside CHP office for an interview with investigators, culminating in his uneventful arrest on the afternoon of Dec. 22.
He has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.