VANCOUVER, Wash. — Julio Cesar Segura, the suspect in a robbery and assault that led to a Clark County Sheriff's Deputy mistakenly shooting and killing Vancouver Police Officer Donald Sahota, was arraigned Tuesday morning and entered a not guilty plea on all charges stemming from the Jan. 29 incident.
Segura's charges include murder, burglary, robbery, possession of a stolen vehicle and attempting to elude police. He made his first appearance in Clark County Superior Court Feb. 16, but he did not enter a plea at that time and the arraignment was delayed. A trial has now been scheduled for 9 a.m. Sept. 12.
Probable cause affidavits previously filed with the court state that Segura allegedly robbed a convenience store in east Vancouver and was pursued by Clark County deputies northbound on Interstate 205. He left the freeway and fled on foot after crashing near Battle Ground.
He began knocking and requesting help at the front door of a nearby house, which happened to be the home of Sahota, who was off-duty at the time. Sahota's wife called 911 and the couple concluded that the man at their door was likely the robbery suspect that the deputies had been chasing.
Sahota went outside and attempted to arrest Segura, leading to a struggle in the driveway during which Sahota's gun fell to the side and Segura allegedly stabbed him multiple times.
Segura reportedly broke free and ran into the house just as Clark County deputies began pulling up at the scene. Sahota retrieved his gun and ran after him, at which point Deputy Jonathan Feller mistook him for the suspect and shot him, believing the suspect was about to break into the house.
Segura subsequently exited the house and was arrested. Sahota died at the scene, and the Clark County Medical Examiner later concluded that one of the stab wounds from the fight would likely have been fatal without immediate medical attention, but he died from the gunshot wounds first.