Goleta Pellet Shooter in Court

A man who allegedly shot at sheriff’s deputies with a pellet gun in Goleta earlier this year was back in court on Thursday, where a Superior Court judge approved state officials’ certification of his mental competency to stand trial.

Charles Quinn, who was shot multiple times by deputies after he fired upon them in a Goleta field at Storke and Hollister roads in January, will now make his way to trial. He faces six felony charges: three counts of assault on a police officer, one count of second degree robbery, one of assault with the personal use of a deadly weapon and resisting an executive officer, and one misdemeanor count of brandishing a replica gun. He is scheduled to be arraigned November 11.

Judge Jean Dandona reinstated criminal proceedings Thursday after she approved the certification from officials at Patton State Hospital. Quinn had been at Patton, located in San Bernardino County, for several months. Both the prosecution and defense stipulated to the report. The defense could have asked for a trial specifically as to Quinn’s competency, but did not. To be considered competent, Quinn must be able to understand the charges against him, and he has to be able to cooperate with his attorney.

According to witnesses who spoke to The Independent at the time of the incident, Quinn approached people eating ice cream at a shop in the Camino Real Marketplace and asked for change. When they didn’t give him any, he pulled out a pellet gun and shot at them, they said. He was tracked down by deputies to a field at the intersection of Storke and Hollister, where he allegedly fired upon them.