College Football Player Admits to Role in Motel Shooting

A Santa Rosa man pleaded no contest in Sonoma County Superior Court this morning to a misdemeanor charge of being an accessory to a shooting at a Rohnert Park motel in July that left a woman with a brain injury.

As part of his plea, Koa James Sibley, 19, agreed to testify truthfully against his co-defendant Ronnie Paul Threadgill, and will receive three years probation.

The accessory charge will be dismissed after successful completion of probation.

Sibley and Threadgill, 23, were trying out for the Santa Rosa Junior College football team at the time of the shooting.

Sibley drove Threadgill to the Motel 6 in Rohnert Park on July 2 where Threadgill paid to have sex with Kenisha Jackson, 24, of Sacramento, according to police testimony at the defendants’ preliminary hearing in August.

Threadgill allegedly shot Jackson during a robbery attempt and hit Jackson’s pimp as he fled the motel where Sibley later returned to pick him up, according to the prosecution.

Threadgill left behind a distinctive pair of sunglasses that were seen on a surveillance video taken near the motel, according to police, and both men were arrested July 10 in Santa Rosa.

Threadgill is charged with attempted first-degree murder and assault with a firearm causing great bodily injury. The charges include weapon enhancements that could potentially get Threadgill 25 years to life in prison.

His trial is scheduled for January. Sibley’s attorney Martin Woods said his client “had absolutely no idea” what was going to happen at the motel.

“He was an unsuspecting participant and can’t be responsible for what the other defendant did,” Woods said.

Woods said Sibley was at a fast food restaurant when the shooting occurred and has been threatened by Threadgill.

Sibley is planning to play football at a junior college in the East Bay, Woods said.

--City News Service, photo via Shutterstock