Spring Break
Former OSU student pleads guilty on two of four charges
Joshua Grimes reaches plea agreement after shooting a transient man in an alley
Susie Bafico
Issue date: 3/14/07 Section: News
Former OSU student and former member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, Joshua Grimes, pled guilty on Monday to charges of unlawful use of a firearm and assault in the third degree.
In the hearing Monday, Grimes pled guilty on the two of four counts against him. The two other charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
Dennis Sanderson of Corvallis had been looking for cans in dumpsters behind the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity when he was shot in the leg on Oct. 14.
Grimes, 20, appeared in person at the courthouse to enter his plea.
The plea means that Grimes loses "the right to buy, sell, transport, receive or possess a firearm or ammunition in personal or professional endeavors," according to court papers. Grimes also forfeits the weapon used in the incident.
Grimes could face a five-year minimum jail sentence, but court papers show that he will ask for probation because he is a first time offender.
The five-year sentence is because of a "gun minimum" in Oregon sentencing guidelines.
The judge in the case will decide whether or not to propose the gun minimum.
Grimes was arrested Nov. 9, 2006, after police conducted an investigation into the Oct. 14 shooting of Sanderson.
After the initial incident occurred, police worked with Sanderson in determining where the bullet was fired from, and concluded the AGR house was the location with the clearest range, as reported in a search warrant.
During the investigation, police discovered an unused .22 caliber cartridge on the ground near the AGR trash dumpster.
Through conducting interviews with house members, one member was singled out as visibly shaking and agitated.
Through the course of more interviews with this individual, Grimes' name came up when a cartridge of ammunition he had given the individual was discovered, which had the same logo as the one found outside the dumpster and the bullet extracted from Sanderson's leg.
The AGR member denied shooting Sanderson but said he "messed with bums" on occasion by shooting at them, the warrant said. He said Grimes was the only other person he knew with those specific bullets.
The officer looking in the Aguila .22 "Super Colibri" ammunition, found in the AGR member's room, noted the manufacturer's Web site had a warning that the cartridge is lethal at short and medium distances.
The morning Grimes was arrested, Nov. 9, police obtained a search warrant for the AGR house and obtained one Aguila Super Colibri .22 cartridge, two .22 shell casings of the same brand and one book described as an autobiography of a top-ranked Marine sniper.
A sentencing hearing for Grimes is set for April 16 at 10 a.m.
In the hearing Monday, Grimes pled guilty on the two of four counts against him. The two other charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
Dennis Sanderson of Corvallis had been looking for cans in dumpsters behind the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity when he was shot in the leg on Oct. 14.
Grimes, 20, appeared in person at the courthouse to enter his plea.
The plea means that Grimes loses "the right to buy, sell, transport, receive or possess a firearm or ammunition in personal or professional endeavors," according to court papers. Grimes also forfeits the weapon used in the incident.
Grimes could face a five-year minimum jail sentence, but court papers show that he will ask for probation because he is a first time offender.
The five-year sentence is because of a "gun minimum" in Oregon sentencing guidelines.
The judge in the case will decide whether or not to propose the gun minimum.
Grimes was arrested Nov. 9, 2006, after police conducted an investigation into the Oct. 14 shooting of Sanderson.
After the initial incident occurred, police worked with Sanderson in determining where the bullet was fired from, and concluded the AGR house was the location with the clearest range, as reported in a search warrant.
During the investigation, police discovered an unused .22 caliber cartridge on the ground near the AGR trash dumpster.
Through conducting interviews with house members, one member was singled out as visibly shaking and agitated.
Through the course of more interviews with this individual, Grimes' name came up when a cartridge of ammunition he had given the individual was discovered, which had the same logo as the one found outside the dumpster and the bullet extracted from Sanderson's leg.
The AGR member denied shooting Sanderson but said he "messed with bums" on occasion by shooting at them, the warrant said. He said Grimes was the only other person he knew with those specific bullets.
The officer looking in the Aguila .22 "Super Colibri" ammunition, found in the AGR member's room, noted the manufacturer's Web site had a warning that the cartridge is lethal at short and medium distances.
The morning Grimes was arrested, Nov. 9, police obtained a search warrant for the AGR house and obtained one Aguila Super Colibri .22 cartridge, two .22 shell casings of the same brand and one book described as an autobiography of a top-ranked Marine sniper.
A sentencing hearing for Grimes is set for April 16 at 10 a.m.
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