Prosecutors say a 29-year-old Napa man turned the courtyard of a South San Francisco hotel into an impromptu shooting range, allegedly squeezing off roughly a dozen rounds from a handgun before trying to bolt from the building.
According to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office, officers detained the man after he left the hotel’s ground floor and recovered a loaded firearm from the hotel grounds. He now faces charges of negligent discharge of a firearm and being a felon in possession of a gun, with bail set at $25,000 and a preliminary hearing scheduled for Tuesday, July 14.
Filings identify the defendant as Jose Basultollamas, 29, of Napa. Prosecutors allege he fired 12 shots after drinking and smoking marijuana, and they list prior felony convictions for assault, grand theft and burglary. He has pleaded not guilty to the new charges, as reported by the San Mateo Daily Journal.
Where It Happened
The alleged gunfire erupted at the Park Pointe Hotel, a lodging property near San Francisco International Airport. The Park Pointe is listed at 245 South Airport Boulevard in South San Francisco, according to its public listing on HotelPlanner.
What The Charges Mean
Negligent discharge is charged in California under Penal Code §246.3, which makes it a crime to willfully discharge a firearm in a grossly negligent way that could result in injury or death. Depending on how a case is charged and resolved, penalties can range from time in county jail to a state prison term.
Prosecutors also charged Basultollamas with possessing a firearm after a felony conviction under Penal Code §29800. That offense is a separate felony that can carry long-term consequences, including restrictions on future firearm rights.
Next Steps In Court
A preliminary hearing is set for Tuesday, July 14, and bail remains at $25,000 in San Mateo County court. The defendant has pleaded not guilty and the District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case, according to the San Mateo Daily Journal.
Authorities have not released information about any injuries or a possible motive for the alleged shooting. The investigation remains open as the case moves through the county court system.
