In re I.G. CA2/6

Facts and Procedural Background In February 2024, James Watson, a competitive cyclist, was riding his bicycle on Highway 246 when he was shot multiple times with an airsoft or pellet gun by an occupant in the vehicle driven by appellant. Watson sustained minor injuries and his bicycle was damaged. Santa Barbara County Sherrif’s Deputy Carlos Ochoa- Castaneda investigated the incident. He collected surveillance video near the area around the time of the shooting, which showed a Camry matching Watson’s description. Deputy Ochoa- Castaneda ran the Camry’s license plate and discovered that it was registered to appellant’s father. When Deputy Ochoa- Castaneda contacted the father, he said appellant had been driving the Camry on the day of the incident and provided the deputy with appellant’s phone number. Deputy Ochoa-Casteneda then spoke with appellant. He explained why he was calling, and asked if appellant was “involved” in the incident. Appellant replied, “Yeah. I was driving the car, but that’s all I’ll say.” In April 2024, a Juvenile Wardship Petition (§ 602, subd. (a)) was filed. It alleged that appellant, who was 17-years old at the time, committed the crime of accessory after…