3 Plead Guilty In 2017 Cathedral City Bar Shooting

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Three of four men accused in a shooting outside a bar in Cathedral City three years ago that injured a man have agreed to a deal with prosecutors in exchange for several charges being dropped.

Andrew Monroy, 25, and Carlos Rodriguez, 27, both of Cathedral City, and Ricky Ceballos, 27, of Desert Hot Springs, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to assault causing great bodily injury and admitted to a gang-related sentence enhancement and were immediately sentenced to eight years in state prison, John Hall, a public information officer with the Riverside County District Attorney's Office, said Friday.

The men were originally charged with attempted murder, assault with a gun and gang activity charges as well, which were dismissed in exchange for their plea, in connection to the July 2017 shooting at the Block Bar and Grill, which left a father of two hospitalized.

A fourth co-defendant, 38-year-old Tomas Zaragoza of Desert Hot Springs, remains charged with all the original charges and is scheduled to return to court for a trial-readiness conference on Feb. 24. He remains in custody at the Indio jail on $1 million bail.

Related: Four Attempted Murder Suspects Nabbed Off Interstate 10 In Banning, Police Say

Witnesses testified during the defendants' preliminary hearing that an argument, sparked for unknown reasons, led to the suspects engaging in a fight with Mike Avila just before 11 p.m. One of the men allegedly swung twice at the victim, but failed to connect with either blow.

Zaragoza later allegedly brandished a handgun and fired at least five times on Avila, striking him in the abdomen and hand, according to witness testimony.

It is unclear if his former co-defendants were asked to testify against him in exchange for their admission.

The gunfire also struck another man in a foot, who said that Avila could be heard telling the suspects, "Hey, I don't even know who you are. I just want to leave."

Witnesses stated that Avila grabbed a pool cue to defend himself, then was shot while running from the defendants.

According to Avila's family, he was at the bar celebrating his wife's birthday.

A GoFundMe page created to help with medical expenses says Avila "is the sole provider of his family; wife and two young babies ages 4 and 2. This life-changing event has left this loving, caring, and family-oriented family in a state of turmoil." More than $3,500 was raised through the site for the family's expenses.

The four men were arrested two days after the shooting at a Banning gas station.

—City News Service