Pre-plea report ordered in Puckett’s felony case (April 24, 2018)
RANCHO CUCAMONGA — A pre-plea report has been ordered in the felony hit-and-run case against Apple Valley’s former assistant town manager, court records show, signaling the potential for public disclosure of his thoughts on the crash and his alleged fleeing from the scene.
An order for the report, which will be prepared by San Bernardino County Probation, came Thursday during Marc Puckett’s pre-preliminary hearing, an atypical move in the county’s superior court system, according to Deputy District Attorney Tonya Cole.
We don’t normally do these,
Cole told the Daily Press on Tuesday. It’s basically doing the probation report ahead of time … It’s something that’s going to give all the parties more information about the case and the background.
Contrary to what its name might suggest, Cole said the report does not necessarily indicate a plea is forthcoming in the case that stems from a late-night crash on southbound Interstate 15 last July involving Puckett’s 2011 Cadillac CTS and a 2011 Toyota Prius driven by Lola Espinoza, of Rancho Cucamonga.
Rather, it’s the result of an information-gathering
process that could include California Highway Patrol (CHP) reports, Cole’s case file, as well as input from Espinoza and Puckett, among other details.
They (county probation) can fashion it different ways, but, generally, what it is is the defendant will be interviewed,
Cole said. They’ll be provided with a synopsis of what the crime is, what the defendant’s background is, his thoughts on the crime (and) if there’s remorse and a sense of taking responsibility.
Defense attorneys can advise clients not to speak directly to the case if it remains active, according to Cole, who said she did not know whether Daniel L. Greenberg has advised Puckett in that way.
Greenberg did not respond to multiple messages left with his Riverside-based office on Monday and Tuesday.
The pre-plea report will also include a discussion of restitution and a recommendation for sentencing, Cole said. She confirmed that she has offered Puckett a plea bargain, but declined to further discuss the matter, saying, We’re still in the negotiating phase.
Puckett was charged Dec. 5 with felony hit-and-run in connection to the crash, which occurred about 600 feet south of Foothill Boulevard in Rancho Cucamonga when his Cadillac rear-ended Espinoza’s Prius before losing control and traveling off the freeway.
He allegedly fled the scene shortly thereafter.
Despite confirming he was in an accident,
though, Puckett previously denied the involvement of a second vehicle, calling it a crap story.
He pleaded not guilty on Dec. 14 and his position inside Town Hall was eliminated — for financial reasons — in January by new Town Manager Doug Robertson.
He has not been arrested at any point since the crash, according to a previous Daily Press report in which Greenberg stated that his client’s now-former job was not among the factors considered before he was released on his own recognizance after the arraignment.
Espinoza was treated at Kaiser Permanente in Ontario for injuries to her neck and back. She told the Daily Press on Tuesday that she has not yet been in contact with county probation, but she said she plans to read a statement in court if Puckett is convicted.
The pre-plea report should be ready by the next hearing on June 6, but it will likely bring another continuance, according to Cole.
It might be (when) the defense first sees it, and they might want time to look into that further,
she said. It’s pretty common.
Source: Matthew Cabe, Daily Press
Files dealing with Marc Puckett
- 19920114 Minutes of a special meeting of the city council for the City of East Detroit, Macomb County, Michigan
- 19920225 Minutes of a special meeting of the city council for the City of East Detroit, Macomb County, Michigan
- 19920303 Minutes of a special meeting of the city council for the City of East Detroit, Macomb County, Michigan
- 19920305 Minutes of a special meeting of the city council for the City of East Detroit, Macomb County, Michigan
- 19920319 Minutes of a special meeting of the city council for the City of East Detroit, Macomb County, Michigan
- 19920623 Minutes of a special meeting of the city council for the City of East Detroit, Macomb County, Michigan
- 19960111 Retirement firm accuses official of favoritism
- 19960403 Folks soaked by water bills may get relief
- 19960920 Marc Puckett’s red light ticket
- 19990130 $9-million pension fund transfer raises questions
- 19990202 Retirement panel urges ‘immediate’ audit of plan
- 19990203 Retirement board splits over need for independent manager
- 19990203 Finance director resigns under fire of pension flap
- 19990210 Former finance director lashes back at critics, hints suit
- 19990224 Flint to boost pension fund
- 19990319 Flint sent tax funds to wrong units
- 19990326 Ex-finance director cashes in on $6,000 in unused vacation time
- 19990330 Flint could owe state millions some industrial facilities taxes have not been paid since 1996
- 19990408 Stanley acts on money woes, appoints new finance chief
- 19990411 Stanley must share blame as part of his plan to fix city’s financial woes
- 19990909 Audit details shortfalls in financial procedures
- 20100219 Personal injury complaint against Marc Puckett
- 20100408 Answer of defendant, Marc R. Puckett, to plaintiffs’ complaint
- 20101227 New finance director to step down
- 20101228 Marc Puckett out — Again
- 20101230 Leadership turmoil
- 20110104 The world according to John Moorlach
- 20110110 City faces $231,000 deficit
- 20110113 Interim finance director named
- 20110210 Marc Puckett’s speeding ticket
- 201102405 Marc Puckett’s ticket for stopping on a red signal
- 20110817 Marc Puckett’s ticket for no license plate
- 20120309 Marc Puckett’s Orange County accident case information
- 20120425 Marc Puckett’s speeding ticket
- 20120703 Marc Puckett’s speeding ticket
- 20140724 Marc Puckett’s speeding ticket
- 20141124 Marc Puckett’s ticket for coasting out of gear
- 20141205 Marc Puckett’s ticket for speeding
- 20150529 Marc Puckett’s ticket for improper use of preferred lane
- Comments for tonight’s council meeting
- The innumerate Mr. Puckett
- Shill crazy after all these years
- Earth to Puckett!
- About those awards
- One PRR story: American Express (CC)
- 20160913 Documents link top Apple Valley official to #FlintWaterCrisis
- 20160913 Investigation: Flint / Apple Valley Connection
- 20160915 Economic Speech (Trump)
- 20161018 Will Apple Valley become California’s Flint, MI?
- 20170319 Trump EPA grants Michigan $100 million to fix Flint water system
- 20170320 Sinkhole: Effort to replace pipes to Flint homes off to slow start
- 20170806 Vehicle belonging to AV town manager involved in hit-and-run
- He’s gonna need a good lawyer
- 20170809 Apple Valley official believes Liberty could have followed him before crash
- Public trust destroyed (Carloni)
- 20170907 Hit-and-run investigation involving Marc Puckett’s Cadillac sent to DA
- 20171010 Marc Puckett’s speeding ticket
- A question of character
- 20171206 Apple Valley Finance Director Marc Puckett charged with felony hit-and-run
- 20171206 A long wait for crash victim
- 20171117 A history of infractions
- 20171207 Apple Valley Finance Director Marc Puckett on personal leave after felony hit-and-run charge filed
- 20171214 Apple Valley Finance Director Marc Puckett pleads not guilty to felony hit-and-run charge
- 20171214 I-15 crash victim seeks $2M in damages from Apple Valley
- 20171219 Editorial: Passing the Puck (Valles)
- 20171228 Town Hall position not a factor in Puckett’s custody status, attorney says
- 20180105 Puckett forced out as Apple Valley’s Assistant Manager & Finance Director
- 20180109 Tin Cup Men (Valles)
- 20180116 Puckett’s dismissal just what the town needed (Valles)
- 20180307 Puckett deposition set for mid-April in town’s eminent domain case
- 20180425 Pre-plea report ordered in Puckett’s felony case