http://www.theunion.com/article/20071128/NEWS/111280131
Man was high on drugs when he held woman's head under water
By Robyn Moormeister, robynm@theunion.com » More from Robyn Moormeister 12:01 a.m. PT Nov 28, 2007
A 20-year-old Penn Valley man who held a woman's head under water, then jumped from the bridge at Purdon Crossing while hallucinating on drugs, will most likely be sentenced to probation next month, Assistant District Attorney Anna Ferguson said Tuesday.
Casey Lloyd Hendrick was high on psilocybin mushrooms during his birthday celebration June 9 when he pushed a young Nevada City woman's head under the Yuba River for 15 to 20 seconds. He then jumped from the bridge onto some rocks and seriously injured himself, Ferguson said.
"His injuries were significant," she said. "He's lucky he still has a foot." Hendrick's left heel came out of his body, his right heel was shattered, he broke his back, collar bone, three ribs, his wrist and damaged his lung.
Hendrick admitted to his crime, he did no lasting physical harm to his victim, he is remorseful and he has no previous criminal record, Ferguson said. These all are factors that influenced her decision to cut a deal with Hendrick's defense attorney to allow for a sentence of probation, she said.
"No judge is going to send this kid to prison, no matter what court or judge heard this," Ferguson said. "This is not a prison case."
Witnesses of the June 9 incident told investigators Hendrick put his hands on the woman's shoulders and pushed her completely under the water until the woman's boyfriend punched Hendrick to free her.
Hendrick told investigators he and his friends brought the hallucinogenic mushrooms to the river and took them to celebrate his birthday, Ferguson said.
Hendrick told investigators it was his first time using hallucinogenic mushrooms, and he does not remember much of what happened June 9, she said.
The District Attorney's Office has not charged Hendrick or any of his friends with drug possession or selling drugs because of a lack of proof, Ferguson said.
"I never got a request from any law enforcement agency for prosecution, and honestly, there's not enough proof to proceed," she said.
Hendrick wrote a letter of apology to the woman he assaulted, but she has not indicated to the District Attorney's Office whether she would read it, Ferguson said.
Ferguson charged Hendrick June 13 with attempted murder and assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury. Accompanied by his lawyer, Thomas Leupp of Auburn, Hendrick pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Aug. 8.
As part of a conditional plea agreement with the DA's office Sept. 13 in which the attempted murder charge was dropped, Hendrick pleaded no contest to the assault charge.
As part of the agreement, Hendrick will be sentenced to probation. If he violates the terms, he could face a maximum sentence of four years in prison.
Leupp did not return a call regarding the case Tuesday.
Ferguson would like to see Hendrick work with juvenile drug offenders as part of a probation sentence, she said.
"This incident should be a warning to everyone," Ferguson said. "He took too much and had a negative reaction."
During his last court appearance, Hendrick appeared to be in pain, while he was able to walk, she said.
"He'll never be the same physically," she said, adding that Hendrick is a "salvageable young man who made a grave error experimenting with psilocybin."
Hendrick hopes to transfer soon from Sierra College to California State University, Sacramento, she said.
Hendrick was scheduled to be sentenced next week, but Nevada County Superior Court Judge Thomas Anderson postponed the sentencing Tuesday due to scheduling conflicts with his new assignment to civil cases.
Anderson is only able to hear criminal cases one day a week, Ferguson said.
Hendrick's sentencing is set for 1:30 p.m. Dec. 14 in Nevada County Superior Court.
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What an asshole. I love how he then proceeds to almost kill himself. What a nut.
I like how people on drugs can't just be crazy or assholes, they always have to blame it on the drugs.
The people I know that got into fist fights while drunk were always jackasses to begin with, being drunk didn't change that.
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