Christopher Santana, a 23-year-old Napa resident, has been handed down a sentence of 23 years and 8 months in state prison after a plea agreement involving a drive-by shooting from December of last year. According to an announcement by Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley, Santana pled no contest to the charges, which include attempted murder and assault with a semiautomatic firearm. The incident, which unfolded in the parking lot of a West Napa apartment complex, saw the defendant shoot and injure an innocent bystander.
Santana, caught during an altercation at Laurel Street Apartments, threatened to shoot another individual but, fleeing the scene, instead struck a bystander's leg. After three days on the run, Santana was apprehended by Napa Police officers. The victim was subsequently treated at Providence Queen of the Valley Medical Center, as stated in a Napa County press release.
In addition to the primary charges, Santana also admitted to special allegations that his crimes resulted in great bodily injury and involved the use of a firearm. Napa County Superior Court Judge Elia Ortiz delivered the sentence following the plea, punctuating a process that has unfolded over a year.
"Mr. Santana chose to place multiple lives in danger with his conduct and will now be held accountable for his actions. He has no one to blame but himself," Napa County Deputy District Attorney Rolando Mazariegos prosecuted the case against Santana, highlighting the repercussions of the accused's actions, which will leave enduring trauma among the victims and witnesses, including those from law-abiding, hardworking families in the vicinity of the apartment complex, as described in the press release.
