Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 10/13/06

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Assistant District Attorney Larry Scoufos Deputy District Attorney: Scott Jamar

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

DEFENDANTS FOUND GUILTY IN ATTACK

District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced today that a Sonoma County jury returned guilty verdicts against two men who participated with others in an attack on three strangers near downtown Santa Rosa. One of the injured victims had just returned from military duty in Iraq.

Terrance Russell Terwilligar and Stephen Aiden Watson were found guilty of two counts of Assault by Means of Force Likely to Produce Great Bodily Injury, and one count of Battery Inflicting Serious Bodily Injury. The jury also found that Watson personally inflicted great bodily injury upon one of the victims. The injuries included loss of consciousness and a fractured skull.

During the early morning hours of November 26, 2005 Terwilliger, Watson and five other assailants assaulted the three victims in an apparent random attack while they were walking near the intersection of College and Mendocino Avenues in Santa Rosa. Witnesses described multiple attackers assaulting the three victims by repeatedly stomping, kicking and punching them. The beatings continued after some of the victims lost consciousness.

The trial was heard before Superior Court Judge Raima Ballinger. She also received evidence that Terwilligar has been convicted of two prior strike offenses. She will rule on October 13, 2006, as to whether or not those allegations are true. If the prior convictions are found to be true, Terwilligar faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison under the Three Strikes law. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Watson on November 14, 2006. Watson faces a maximum sentence of eight years in state prison. Both Defendants remain in custody while pending sentencing.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Scott Jamar. He was assisted by District Attorney Investigator Kim Dayton, Santa Rosa Detective Brenda Harrington, Legal Assistant Patti Davis, Information Specialist John Magsamen, and Legal Secretary Coleen Atmore.