Man accused of killing Modoc sheriff’s deputy could face death penalty

A man accused of killing a Modoc County sheriff’s deputy has been charged with murder and could face the death penalty, authorities said.

Jack Lee Breiner, 47, faces one count of willful, deliberate and premeditated murder for the death of Deputy Jack Hopkins, one count of attempted murder for shooting at Modoc Sheriff Mike Poindexter and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the Modoc County district attorney’s office. The charges carry the special-circumstance allegation of intentionally killing a peace officer while he was engaged in the performance of his duties.

“This is a death penalty case,” the district attorney’s office said in a statement.

Breiner, an Alturas resident, is tentatively scheduled to be arraigned Friday in connection with the Oct. 19 shooting.

Modoc County Undersheriff William “Tex” Dowdy gave the following account of the shooting: Hopkins, 31, responded about 10:30 a.m. to a family disturbance call from a rural property eight miles south of Alturas. He entered the property to investigate the call when he was confronted and shot by Breiner and was “killed instantly.” Breiner got into a vehicle and drove off but was stopped by Poindexter, who was also responding to the call. Breiner fired at Poindexter, triggering a gun battle between the men.

Breiner, who was shot by Poindexter, was hospitalized, and the sheriff suffered minor injuries.

Hopkins began working with the Sheriff’s Office in 2015 and had previously worked for the Alturas Police Department.

Born in Livermore, Hopkins was named after his grandfather, who was the first mayor of Rolling Hills Estates.

Hopkins earned a black belt in karate and won a world championship title in 2011, according to a Sheriff’s Office statement.

“Jack was known for being the type of person that his handshake was his “word,” and it was reliable,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

Hopkins was at least the fourth law enforcement officer killed in California over a two-week span.

On Oct. 5, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Sgt. Steve Owen was fatally shot as he responded to a burglary report. Trenton Trevon Lovell, 27, was charged with murdering Owen, attempted murder of a second sheriff’s deputy, being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts each of residential robbery and false imprisonment.

Days later, Palm Springs Police officers Lesley Zerebny, 27, and Jose “Gil” Vega, 63, were shot and killed in what officials said was a planned attack. Riverside County Dist. Atty. Mike Hestrin said John Hernandez Felix, 26, was “prepared” for the Oct. 8 attack and set up a trap. Felix ambushed the officers as they stood outside his door, Hestrin said.

Services for Hopkins will be at 1 p.m. Nov. 5 at the Siskiyou Golden Fairgrounds in Yreka.

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

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