Orange resident charged with trying to murder a Dana Point man

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 14HF0931: March 11, 2014

MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER FOR SHOOTING VICTIM AND EVADING LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH STOLEN VEHICLE

SANTA ANA – A man was charged today with attempted murder for shooting a victim and attempting to flee from law enforcement with a stolen vehicle. Julian St. John, 49, Orange, is charged with two felony counts of attempted murder, two felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon, two felony counts of assault with a firearm, one felony count of shooting at an inhabited dwelling, one felony count of attempted false imprisonment by violence or deceit, one felony count of unlawful taking of vehicle, one felony count of evading while driving recklessly with sentencing enhancements for the personal discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury, personal discharge of a firearm, personal use of a firearm, and great bodily injury. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 52 years to life in state prison. He is being held on $2 million bail and is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana.

On the morning of March 9, 2014, St. John is accused of visiting the home of John Doe #1 in Dana Point. A second victim, John Doe #2, was also in the home. The defendant is accused of grabbing a crossbow, loading it with an arrow without an arrowhead, and shooting and hitting John Doe #1’s forehead. St. John is accused of then grabbing a fire extinguisher and hitting John Doe #1’s head with it several times. The defendant is accused of chasing John Doe #1 into the backyard and back into the residence.

The defendant is accused of taking out a firearm, shooting John Doe #1, and hitting one of the victim’s fingers. John Doe #1 ran into a bathroom and locked the door. The defendant is accused of firing a shot through the bathroom door and lodging a bullet in the wall. St. John is accused of threatening John Doe #2 with a firearm and fleeing the scene after stealing John Doe #1’s vehicle.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD), who investigated this case, began to pursue the defendant heading southbound on the Interstate 5 (I-5). St. John is accused of exiting the I-5 and stopping his vehicle after the OCSD deputy pulled in front of him in a patrol vehicle. The defendant is accused of accelerating toward the deputy and back on to the I-5 and evading the deputy.

St. John is accused of driving through a fence at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station and fleeing the scene on foot. He was subsequently arrested early yesterday morning, March 10, 2014.

###

Tony Rackauckas, District Attorney
401 Civic Center Drive West
Santa Ana, CA 92701

Contacts:

Susan Kang Schroeder
Chief of Staff
Office: 714-347-8408
Cell: 714-292-2718

Farrah Emami
Spokesperson
Office: 714-347-8405
Cell: 714-323-4486