The man who was shot by a Jay Street resident who was protecting himself and another pleaded guilty on Monday to felony assault by force likely to cause great bodily injury and aggravated trespass.
Caleb William Wills, 43, of Colusa, will formally be sentenced on Aug. 15 and is facing three years in state prison, per the terms of a plea agreement.
Wills, who has a lengthy criminal history in Colusa and Glenn counties, was charged with attacking Melvish Sharma on Dec. 21, after Sharma tried to intervene on behalf of an individual who was calling for help.
Colusa County District Attorney Matthew Beauchamp said moments prior to the shooting, Sharma exited his home and stepped onto his front porch after hearing a loud commotion outside.
Sharma reportedly observed Wills in the street beating that individual.
When Sharma told Wills to stop or he would call 911, Wills, carrying a heavy flashlight, ran up on Sharma’s porch and attacked him, Beauchamp confirmed.
Although Colusa police officers initially took Sharma into custody on charges, their investigation soon determined that he had acted in self defense.
“Mr. Sharma was violently assaulted in the curtilage of his own home when he exercised his natural and legal right to defend himself,” Beauchamp said. “Mr. Sharma was not an aggressor and only resorted to force when he was left with no other option. Moreover, even though Sharma had no legal obligation to retreat from Wills’ armed attack, Sharma did retreat, suffering blows from a heavy flashlight before the railing on his own front porch prevented him from retreating further. It was only at that point did Sharma draw and use his firearm to defend himself. Fortunately, for Mr. Wills, he was not killed.”
Wills has been in custody at the Colusa County Jail since Dec. 29, after allegedly committing additional crimes, including aggravated trespassing, while on bail for assaulting Sharma.
He was scheduled to go to trial on June 23 but took a plea deal the day before, which dismissed the violations of probation. ■