Fontana teens must stand trial in alleged gang shooting

Two alleged gang members were ordered to stand trial on attempted murder charges after their alleged accomplice testified against them in exchange for a favorable plea deal.

Angel Valencia and Andrew Valdivia, both 19, are accused of trying to shoot and kill a father and son who interrupted a tagging session in September.

The father the Fontana men allegedly targeted was shot in the back and in the neck, but survived his injuries.

Daniel Casas, 23, who allegedly drove the men to the scene of the shooting, testified against Valencia and Valdivia during a Feb. 5 preliminary hearing in Fontana Superior Court.

At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Dwight Moore ruled that Valencia and Valdivia must each stand trial on two counts of attempted murder.

In exchange for his testimony, Casas, of Fontana, will be sentenced to a year in county jail. He pleaded no contest to a felony accessory charge last month.

Casas was initially charged with two counts of attempted murder -- which potentially carried life prison sentences -- but those charges will be dismissed pursuant to his plea agreement with prosecutors.

The father and son, both residents of the Southridge neighborhood of south Fontana, confronted Valencia and Valdivia with baseball bats on Sept. 2 as the alleged gang members tagged a wall in their neighborhood.

The two reputed gang members then enlisted Casas to drive them to the man and son's home, where they allegedly opened fire, wounding the father. His son was not hurt.

Valencia and Valdivia re-entered not-guilty pleas to the attempted murder charges on Wednesday, and are next due in court March 6.

A tentative trial date has been set for March 23.

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