Marine Arrested After Shots Fired at Bar Owner

A 22-year-old active-duty Marine based at Camp Pendleton was arrested Saturday for allegedly shooting at a bar owner, and the victim’s vehicle, after being told to leave the lounge near Imperial Beach early Friday morning, police said.

The suspect, Sy Schultheis, was allegedly “very intoxicated” when asked at closing time to leave the Southbay Lounge at Palm and Thermal avenues, according to San Diego police Sgt. Ray Battrick.

Staff then cleared the lounge and locked up. The suspect banged on the doors, but the staff refused to let him back in, Battrick said.

Gunfire rang out five minutes later, about 2:15 a.m., from outside the front and side doors, and the owner went outside and saw the suspect in the passenger seat of a black 2011 Chrysler sedan with paper plates, Battrick said.

The suspect allegedly fired a shot at the owner but missed before the car drove off eastbound on Palm Avenue, Battrick said.

The owner then checked the parking lot and saw that his vehicle had been hit with six bullets, which caused major damage, Battrick said.

Officers located the suspect about 9:30 a.m. in the 2600 block of Desty Court and took him into custody, Battrick said.

According to the jail website, Schultheis was booked into San Diego central jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, shooting at an unoccupied dwelling, using a firearm from a vehicle and vandalism.

He is scheduled to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at Chula Vista Superior Court. Bail was set at $100,000.

-City News Service