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Victim started the fight, defendant testifies
Mar 12, 2010 (Appeal-Democrat - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
Willie Dean Roberts Jr. started the fight that led to his death, a co-defendant charged with murdering him testified Thursday in Sutter County Superior Court.
Taking the witness stand in his defense, Aaron Richard Ouellette said he and co-defendant Michael Sanudo were on La Colina Lane in Yuba City late on the rainy night of Sept. 28, 2007, when Roberts approached on a bicycle. Ouellette said he asked Roberts for a cigarette and, when Roberts began wobbling on the bike, put his hands on the handlebars.
Roberts' blood alcohol concentration was .19, according to an autopsy, and Ouellette's may have been equally as high, an expert testified earlier.
The jury trial for Ouellette and Sanudo is in its second week.
Roberts "took a swing" and the two began "scuffling and grappling," said Ouellette, whose right arm was in a cast because he had earlier hit the pickup under which Roberts' body was found early the next morning.
"I didn't attack him, I defended myself" from the larger Roberts, said Ouellette.
Roberts weighed 170 pounds. Ouellette weighs 155, according to jail records.
After Sanudo stepped in between the two to try and stop the fight, Roberts fell to the ground, Ouellette said.
Ouellette's testimony contradicted that of witnesses who testified two men beat, stomped and robbed Roberts.
When witnesses began running toward the scene, Ouellette said, he and Sanudo jumped in the pickup.
Ouellette, who was behind the wheel, said he tried to accelerate. But the tires "screeched" and the engine was "revving," he said.
"It was hard to go straight. I figured it was a flat tire," he said.
A witness testified earlier that the truck drove over Roberts repeatedly. Ouellette denied it. The truck's windows were rolled up and the stereo was blasting, he said.
Roberts' body was wedged under the truck in front of the right front tire, according to Deputy District Attorney Chris Carlos.
Ouellette denied he and Sanudo stopped to look under the truck. Three witnesses said they did, according to Carlos.
"You drove 730 feet with the tires screeching, leaving a blood trail and tire marks, and you never bothered to look and see what the problem was?" Carlos asked.
Ouellette responded that he thought the tires were spinning because the pavement was wet, and he didn't stop because more than one witness was pursuing the truck.
With the truck still straining, Ouellette said, he drove around the block and stopped on Casita Drive, then got out and ran.
Ouellette said he ran because he thought witnesses were calling the police and he was a parolee who was violating parole conditions by drinking with another parolee, Sanudo.
"I didn't want to go back to jail over something minuscule," he said.
Ouellette said he and Sanudo went through two 18-packs of beer in the four hours prior to the incident.
He and Sanudo decided to leave the truck and take care of the flat tire the next morning. They walked to Sanudo's apartment on Shasta Street, where they were arrested about 5:30 a.m., he said.
Ouellette also denied -- contrary to a witness's testimony -- that he and Sanudo ransacked Roberts' pockets.
"Hell, no," Ouellette said.
Tattoos that Carlos said are evidence of Ouellette's membership in the Nortenos gang are not, Ouellette said. The words "Yuba City" tattooed on his stomach indicate pride in the city where he grew up, he said.
The tattoos were applied when he was "young, dumb, stupid, confused," Ouellette said.
He admitted growing up around Crips and Nortenos and "hanging" with gang associates but said he was never a member.
Attorneys in the jury trial are expected to make their closing arguments today, with jurors beginning deliberations Monday.
Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Rob Young at 749-4710 or at ryoung@appealdemocrat.com.
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http://www.appeal-democrat.com. Copyright (c) 2010, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville,
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