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Alleged rooster thiefs home searched. Police want to charge Chicas with attempted murder of teen
By Kenny Klein THERMAL -- Working on tips, authorities on Thursday served a search warrant at the home of a man who they say shot a teen-ager three times while attempting to steal several cockfighting roosters. The teen-ager was shot in the ear, which is almost completely lost. A second round went through his right arm. His temple was also grazed by a bullet. "A few inches more and it would have been a homicide," said Southern Coachella Valley Community Services District Team Sgt. Sal Pi"a. But when Riverside County SheriffIs deputies from the district team arrived at Jose Raymundo Mejia ChicasI home in the area of Avenue 58 and Monroe Street, they were unable to find him. Wanted man: Chicas, 30, of Thermal, is wanted for questioning, though deputies say they are recommending the Riverside County District AttorneyIs office file attempted murder charges. The 17-year-old told deputies he got up about 3 a.m. Sunday. The youth said he felt hungry and walked to get some eggs from the chicken coop to make breakfast at the familyIs ranch in the 59-000 block of Van Buren Street. At the coop: When the young man arrived at the coops, he told deputies, he spotted a man armed with a AK-47 assault rifle who appeared to be stealing two cockfighting roosters from the cages. That Is when Chicas, who was later identified by the teen-ager, threatened to kill the teen and started shooting, deputies said. Chicas escaped. Cock-fighting roosters are worth between $500 to $2,000 and are commonly used in the east valley in sports events where people bet on the animals. The losing animal is usually killed in the fight. ItIs not illegal to own such a rooster, but itIs illegal to have them wear knives or other blades used in the fights, deputies said. |
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