Man who shot at MCSO deputy appears in court
PHOENIX (AP) -- A man accused of firing multiple shots at a Maricopa County Sheriff's deputy outside a substation west of Phoenix told authorities he was just trying to scare him.
Jonathan David Perez had his initial court appearance Monday and bond was set at $250,000. He doesn't have a lawyer yet.
The 38-year-old Perez is being held on suspicion of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault on an officer, criminal damage, discharge of a firearm at a non-residence, discharge of a firearm within the city limit and prohibited possession of a firearm.
Neighbors of the suspect say they are surprised.
"Shocked, we don't know him, he was nice. He talked to us, we would sit on the patio and he would talk," said Denise and Shirley Turner.
The unidentified deputy wasn't injured with the District III substation's bulletproof doors absorbing the shots last Friday.
The deputy was in plain clothes and walking in the substation's front door when shots were fired from a parked car.
Perez has a long criminal history with several felony convictions involving firearms and assaults.
UPDATE: Later in 2016 and in 2018, the charges against Perez were dismissed, according to the Maricopa County Superior Court.