Marine Pleads Not Guilty for Bar Shooting

CHULA VISTA - A Camp Pendleton Marine accused of opening fire outside a Nestor bar after being asked to leave pleaded not guilty today to several charges, including assault with a semiautomatic firearm.

Sy Mitchell Schultheis, 22, was ordered held on $100,000 bail.

The defendant was allegedly "very intoxicated" when asked to leave the South Bay Lounge at 1671 Palm Ave. just after 2 a.m. last Friday, according to San Diego police Sgt. Ray Battrick.

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

Gunfire rang out five minutes later, about 2:15 a.m., from outside the front and side doors, Battrick said.

He said the bar owner went outside and saw the defendant in the passenger seat of a black 2011Chrysler sedan with paper plates.

Schultheis allegedly fired a shot at the owner but missed, before the car headed eastbound on Palm Avenue. 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 defendant about 9:30 a.m. in the 2600 block of Desty Court and took him into custody, Battrick said.

In addition to assault, Schultheis is charged with shooting at an occupied building, shooting at an unoccupied vehicle and negligent discharge of a firearm, said Deputy District Attorney Michael MacNeil.

The defendant faces up to 22 years in prison if convicted.

A bail review is set for Monday, followed by a Jan. 12 readiness conference and Jan. 18 preliminary hearing.

— City New Service