Beaumont Man Accused Of Shooting Delivery Driver Must Stand Trial

BEAUMONT, CA — A 48-year-old Beaumont man accused of shooting a delivery driver must stand trial for firearm assault and other offenses, a judge ruled Monday.

Jaime Lopez Bedolla was arrested last year following a Beaumont Police Department investigation into the alleged attack on the east end of the city.

At the end of a preliminary hearing Monday, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Jorge Hernandez found there was sufficient evidence to warrant a trial on the gun assault count, as well as shooting at an occupied vehicle, being a felon in possession of a loaded pistol and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.

The judge scheduled a post-preliminary hearing arraignment for Jan. 17 at the Banning Justice Center and permitted Bedolla to remain free on a $50,000 bond.

According to Beaumont police, the victim, whose identity was not disclosed, was in the 1500 block of Leland Avenue, near Luna Avenue, on the afternoon of April 4, 2022, when he delivered unspecified items to a house.

"The victim left the area after being confronted by the homeowner ... (who) followed the victim and shot him through the door of his vehicle," according to a BPD statement.

An exact motive wasn't provided.

The alleged shooting happened where the victim had parked in the area of Highland Springs Avenue and First Street, police said. The victim immediately drove himself to a hospital for treatment and has since recovered.

The attack was immediately reported to officers, who initiated an investigation that culminated in the defendant's arrest within a week. He posted bond hours later and was released from the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.

Court records show Bedolla has a prior conviction in another jurisdiction, but it was not specified. He has no priors in Riverside County.