Son of 'Barney' Creator Faces Up to 15 Years in Prison

A son of the creator of the children’s character “Barney” pleaded no contest today to two charges for shooting his neighbor in the chest after an argument in January 2013.

Patrick Kearns Leach, 29, of Malibu, pleaded no contest to one count each of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and shooting from a motor vehicle, according to Deputy District Attorney Brenda Lee.

Leach also admitted allegations of causing great bodily injury, discharging a firearm causing great bodily injury and discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle causing great bodily injury, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

He is facing 15 years in state prison, with sentencing set June 29 in a Van Nuys courtroom.

The charges stemmed from the Jan. 9, 2013, shooting of a neighbor after Leach drove on to the neighbor’s property and honked his vehicle’s horn, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

An argument ensued after the man came outside and Leach accused the man of trespassing, the prosecutor said.

Leach fired several rounds from a semiautomatic firearm, striking the neighbor once in the chest, according to the deputy district attorney.

Leach fled the scene in his vehicle and was pulled over later by law enforcement officers, who found him wearing body armor with weapons inside the car, Lee said.

--City News Service; Patch Image Archive

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