[1]Chan H. Oscar is seated with his lawyer David Arcuri at his sentencing hearing in Lewis County Superior Court.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Chan H. Oscar’s voice broke and he looked down as he apologized to the friend he called his cousin, for shooting him on a Chehalis street.
The round from the 9 mm semi-automatic handgun grazed an eyebrow and traveled through Kevin St. Catherine’s wrist.
St. Catherine did have a full time job and commuted to Bremerton, Lewis County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead told the judge. But he’s had two surgeries and won’t be able to bend his wrist.
“He won’t be able to work,” Halstead said.
The two men, are both from the Caribbean, are both Chehalis residents and their families have known each other for quite some time, Halstead said.
“Unfortunately, on this particular day, things got out of hand,” he said.
Oscar was in Lewis County Superior Court yesterday morning, to be sentenced for second-degree attempted murder. He’d made an Alford plea, not admitting guilt.
Halstead as he made his recommendation, told the judge Oscar wasn’t the instigator, that the two 36-year-olds had agreed to go fight. It had to do with a woman, Halstead said.
Defense attorney David Arcuri spoke on behalf of his client, telling of St. Catherine being the aggressor, tracking Oscar down at the Motel 6 where he assaulted him.
“And it wasn’t until my client opened his coat and showed he had a firearm, that Mr. St. Catherine backed off,” Arcuri said. “Our evidence would have showed Mr. St. Catherine said words to the effect, you’re not the only one with a gun.”
The incident took place the night of May 13, on Southwest William Avenue near Fourth Street in Chehalis. Their two vehicles met up there.
“No doubt Mr. Oscar is culpable for discharging that firearm” Arcuri said. “But one has to appreciate how terrifying that could be.”
Oscar was taken into custody a few hours later, a loaded handgun found on his person.
Arcuri asked for 108 months in prison for his client. Halsted asked for 160.
Judge Richard Brosey imposed 156 months, which is 13 years.
He also ordered three years of community custody with the state Department of Corrections upon Oscar’s release.
And no contact for life with the victim.
Prosecutors dismissed a charge of rendering criminal assistance against 50-year-old Lenard A. Carlile, who was a passenger in the vehicle that police found Oscar in when they took him into custody that night.
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For background, read “Police: Chehalis resident jailed for shooting cousin on neighborhood street” from Thursday May 14, 2015, here [2]