SPRINGFIELD MO July 10 2018 – Jeremy Caicoya, the Springfield convenience store clerk accused of running down a suspected shoplifter with his car, has no criminal record, no history of violence and has held the same job for 11 years, his lawyer argued Friday.

The victim, by contrast, stole more than 100 cans of Red Bull from the store, helped himself to drinks and sandwiches, intimidated two women clerks and threw a large cup of soda in a male clerk’s face – all in the past two weeks, defense lawyer Nicholas Raring said.

“It’s ludicrous to jump to the conclusion that he (Caicoya) is a danger,” Raring said during a bail hearing in Springfield District Court.

Caicoya, 29, was arraigned Tuesday on five charges, including assault with intent to murder, after allegedly running down the victim with his car around 4:15 a.m. outside the Sunoco gas station and convenience store on East Columbus Avenue.

The alleged shoplifter threw a rock at Jeremy Caicoya’s rear window, shattering it, and then took off running.

He was ordered held for a hearing Friday to determine if he was too dangerous to be released on bail.

The victim, a 28-year-old Springfield man, suffered severe injuries and underwent surgery Thursday to relieve pressure on his brain, Sgt. David Arroyo testified at the hearing. His condition was listed as grave, and his prospects for recovery are “extremely poor,” Arroyo said.

At the request of Assistant District Attorney Colleen Monroe, Arroyo the confrontation between the two men captured by the store’s security cameras.

The video shows Caicoya punching the victim inside the store, and the man later threatening Caicoya with a knife in the parking lot after both me had been locked outside the store, Arroyo said.

To avoid the knife attack, Caicoya jumped into his car moments before the victim threw a rock through the rear wind shield; Caicoya then chased the victim with his car, eventually striking him near the gas station, Arroyo said.

The actual collision is not shown on the video because it took place about ten to 15 feet off camera, Arroyo said.

Other charges against the clerk, Jeremy Caicoya, 29, of Maple Street, include kidnapping and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident.

When police arrived, the victim was unconscious and lying in the street. “His feet were pointing toward Longhill Street and his head was facing the (Sunoco) station,” the officer said.

Another witness, Keyshawna Tillman, 25, of Springfield, said the victim was struck while “playing chicken” with Caicoya’s car, not fleeing from it.

The victim first threatened Caicoya with a knife outside the store, then threw a trash can and two rocks at his car, said Tillman, a regular customer who called 911 when she saw the confrontation in the parking lot.

Caicoya knew police were on the way and was using his car to keep the victim from fleeing, according to Tilllman, who said the resulting collision was an accident.

“He (Caicoya) got out of his car and tried to help him. He said tell them to bring an ambulance, tell them to bring an ambulance,” Tillman said.

The store’s manager, Kelly Cruz, said Caicoya never had trouble with customers, much less gotten into a fight with one, during his 11 years working for Sunoco.

The manager said the victim had been causing trouble at the store for several weeks.

He stole 40 cans of Red Bull on June 16 and 70 cans more on June 17; in both cases, he argued with the female clerks and threatened them, Cruz said.

On June 20, he helped himself to snack foods and a drink, then walked to the register and offered to pay $1, Cruz said.

When the male clerk wanted more money, he threw a large cup of soda in his face, drenching the clerk’s shirt and getting ice and soda in the register, Cruz said.

Under questioning from Monroe, the manager said the store policy is to call police on suspected shoplifters, rather than physically confront them.

Instead Caicoya, incensed by damage to his car, chased the victim and deliberately struck him. “He was “done messing with this kid. He was going to show him who was boss,” the prosecutor said.

She asked Judge William Hadley to rule that the Caicoya is dangerous and order him held without right to bail for 120 days.

Raring asked for his client’s bail to be set at $5,000, with GPS monitoring and a curfew if necessary.  The case involves “two people who made a series of bad judgements that led to tragedy,” he said.

Rejecting the prosecution’s detention request, Hadley set bail at $5,000 and ordered the defendant to submit to GPS monitoring, surrender his passport and report twice a month to a probation officer, among other conditions.

Caicoya is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on July 17.

Repub.com

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