by Andrew Alonzo | aalonzo@claremont-courier.com

Erik William Guevara, who is charged with three felony counts of attempted murder in connection to a January 23 shooting in Claremont, pled not guilty in Pomona Superior Court on Tuesday. The 33-year-old Jurupa Valley man pled not guilty to a felony charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Guevara remained in custody at Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles with his bail set at $7.1 million at press time. He is due back in Pomona Superior Court for a preliminary hearing at 8:30 a.m. March 26.

The case stems from a January 23 incident in which Claremont police responded at 7:23 p.m. to the 600 block of Colgate Place following multiple reports of gunfire. There they say they found two men with critical gunshot wounds, an injured Guevara, and a handgun.

Neighbors said they saw a man checking for unlocked cars in the area immediately prior to the incident, and that he found one in the driveway of the residence where the shooting occurred. Two men then emerged from the home, neighbors said, and were shot when they confronted the man. Neighbors said they heard five to six rounds fired from what they believed to be a small caliber handgun. A third person then emerged from the home and subdued the gunman until police arrived, they said.

Guevara and the two gunshot victims were taken to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center. Guevara was released at 1:21 a.m. January 24, and subsequently arrested by CPD. The Courier was unable to determine the condition of the two victims due to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act concerns.