Trial Delayed for Defendent in Dana Point Crossbow Shooting

Today’s scheduled trial for a man accused of shooting another man with a crossbow in Dana Point before leading police on a wild chase ending at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station has been moved to Oct. 5.

Julian St. John faces 52 years to life in state prison if convicted of attempting to murder a man in Dana Point, by shooting him in the forehead with a crossbow, beating him with a fire extinguisher and shooting him in the hand with a gun in March of 2014.

According to the Orange County District Attorney’s office, Julian St. John, 50, Orange, is charged with:

• Two felony counts of attempted murder
• Two felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon
• Two felony counts of assault with a firearm
• One felony count of shooting at an inhabited dwelling
• One felony count of attempted false imprisonment by violence or deceit
• One felony count of unlawful taking of vehicle
• One felony count of evading while driving recklessly

He also faces sentencing enhancements for the personal discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury, personal discharge of a firearm, personal use of a firearm, and great bodily injury.

According to prosecutors, St. John visited the house in the 32500 block of Crete Road, where he grabbed a crossbow, loaded it and shot the first victim in the forehead. He then grabbed a fire extinguisher and hit the first victim in the head several times, chasing him into the backyard, then back into the house, prosecutors allege. St. John next took out a firearm and shot the first victim in the hand, according to the DA.

The victim ran into a bathroom and locked the door, after which St. John allegedly fired a shot through the bathroom door and lodging a bullet in the wall, according to the release.

Then St. John threatened the second victim with a firearm before fleeing the scene in the first victim’s car, prosecutors allege. Orange County Sheriff’s deputies gave chase, and managed to pull their squad car in front of St. John at an I-5 off-ramp, according to the press release.

“The defendant is accused of accelerating toward the deputy and back on to the I-5 and evading the deputy,” says a statement by the DA.

“The defendant is accused of accelerating toward the deputy and back on to the I-5 and evading the deputy. “St. John is accused of driving through a fence at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station and fleeing the scene on foot.”

He is being held on $2 million bail.

PENNY ARÉVALO contributed to this report.