A probationer who allegedly fled from police by riding a bicycle into a hardware store in Martinez while armed with a sawed-off shotgun pleaded not guilty to all charges Wednesday morning.
Martinez police were dispatched to the Home Depot on Arnold Drive around 12:45 p.m. Thursday after a motorist allegedly saw a suspect, who was later identified as 33-year-old James Lee Dryden pointing his firearm at a woman in the parking lot.
While officers spoke with the victim, police say Dryden rode his bike through the front doors of the store with a duffel bag.
The store was evacuated, and police say Dryden tried to ride back out but was tackled in the process. He was arrested inside, with the help of store staff and a customer. Shortly afterward, officers found the bag with a
shotgun inside.
He’s been charged with two counts of assault with a firearm, both of which involve separate victims, as well as assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a short-barreled shotgun — all of which are felonies.
Dryden appeared in custody in a Martinez courtroom and is being represented by the Contra Costa County Office of the Public Defender, but a specific attorney has not yet been assigned to the case and no one was available to comment on his behalf. Bail as been set at $150,000.
He is scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 16.
23 comments
As long as he permanently loses his wheels for starters. This is not trick or treat season here. He can start by changing his plea.
Everyone starts with “Not Guilty” it buys time to prepare a case or work out a plea deal….you could plead “Guilty” or “No Contest” and let the Judge just sentence you to prison…. if you’re a complete idiot, that is.
Yep. And, they all become devout Christians in prison. It looks good when they come up in front of the Parole Board.
@jellyfinger
The idiot deserves to be charged now he committed a crime! Our system is just ass backwards where’s criminals run free and charge the innocent
@Imthatgirl76:
He has been charged. Did you read the story? Do try to keep up.
No reason for him to see the light of day again. He will never be house broken.
I vote to recognize the city of San Francisco has a terrorist organization
I second that
Some of the news footage of the garbage and trash on Oakland streets make the whole place look like a garbage dump. Yet, Libby Schaaf insists they have doubled their efforts to clean up the city. If I were her, I’d be hiding out in embarrasment of what a mess I had made of a perfectly beautiful city, sanctuary and all, She’s on tv regularly talking about everything they are doing to make the city better, but it just keeps getting worse. Same with SF.
I third that!
Who’d have guessed this poor misunderstood man, who was probably “socially disadvantaged” when he was young, would already be on PROBATION. Being on parole or probation does after all seem to be the norm in progressively liberal CA.
An after all didn’t liberals say a few years back, rehabilitation in the community was the answer . . . . .
No they didn’t say anything they were too busy banking on your bucks
Doesn’t every criminal plead not guilty?
first /second appearance most always plead not guilty, so Attorney has time to make a case and plea deal….You usually have no choice, but to do what your quack attorney says is best…..
wonder what his drug of choice was
Perhaps the guidelines should state that if you’re caught redhanded and still plead not guilty, a guilty verdict by a jury results in a doubling (trebling?) of your sentence.
interesting thought. of course, there’s that little thing about innocent until proven guilty, and right to an attorney. here in the states, anyway, right? on the other hand, you would absolutely love things in, oh, say, russia or china. right up your alley.
“Innocent until proven guilty” ?
“Right to an attorney” ?
Sure just ask Donald Trump & Michael Flynn.
Hence the “guilty verdict by a jury” part of John P’s comment.
wow ..
he should have pleaded illegal so the da would dismiss the case all together
but the bag was found later and not on him so no case ….welcome back to home depot
he will get time served and released for being non denominational and therefore not bound by our laws
society loves crime and voted to make it legal ….yay
nothing to see here
and when he kills someone ….it will of course be their fault
just like the dead lady in SF who was enjoying the pier and should have stayed home instead of enjoying herself and being near a 7 time deported illegal with a gun …by the way he is still illegally on the streets and she is
DEAD ….but save the criminal first …as Hillary would say when people die
WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE NOW !
and the voters cheered …..sadistic
THIS IS THE SADDEST CASE IN HISTORY, WITH SUCH A LOVING FAMILY LEFT IN THE DIRTY DUST OF POLITICS 🙁 🙁
p.s yes i was yelling!
What a dumbass.
Not guilty by reason of stupid.
Comments are closed.