Two people were detained in connection with a drive-by shooting that resulted in an accident in north Phoenix earlier this month.
Court documents acquired on Wednesday indicated that Johnathan Scott Rangel, 30, and his girlfriend, Kendra Lee Wieser, 31, are facing various counts in connection with the violent confrontation on January 17.
According to court documents, at about 6:40 p.m., two victims were driving north on the Black Canyon Access Road, just north of Peoria Avenue, when the couple allegedly obstructed two lanes of traffic before Rangel and Wieser discharged their weapons at a man and a woman.
According to investigators, the man shot in the passenger seat was able to contact 911 as the driver began pulling out and attempting to drive away, but they were pursued and continued to be fired at since they were driving the wrong way.
After a few moments, the suspects caught up with the victims on I-17 at the Greenway Road exit and started shooting again, according to authorities.
Subsequently, the victims halted their vehicle at the Pinnacle Peak Road exit, fearing bullet damage to their tires. The victims’ SUV flipped over, causing minor injuries. However, court documents state that the wreck killed their 10-year-old German Shepherd dog.
Detectives obtained security video from a nearby motel along Black Canyon Access, which allegedly showed the incident. While inspecting the victims’ SUV, they discovered two locations where gunshots struck the vehicle and hit the tires.
A copy of the 911 tape was also reviewed, and the victims were heard yelling that they knew who was shooting at them, according to court documents.
The victim identified Rangel as the driver and Wieser as the passenger in the suspect vehicle, and they suspected it was payback for stolen drugs involving the woman’s father.
Wieser and Rangel were found at an apartment complex near 16th and Glendale avenues and arrested on Wednesday. During an interview with detectives, she allegedly acknowledged being in the car with Rangel and sticking her head out to fire two rounds at the victims.
She went on to say that they followed them to Pinnacle Peak Road, where the crash occurred. Wieser denied firing additional rounds but stated that the event cost more than $2,500, which she claimed the victims took from Rangel, according to court documents.
Rangel, on the other hand, informed investigators that he spent the entire day at his mother’s house and denied ever owning the truck in issue, which was captured on surveillance cameras.
According to court records, Wieser was booked into Maricopa County Jail on two drug possession offenses. Rangel faces charges of aggravated assault, drive-by shooting, animal cruelty, and unlawful weapon discharge.
Rangel’s bond was set at $100,000, and Wieser’s was set at $1,000.
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