Citizen’s Arrest Attempt Ends in Death

Oceanside woman was shot to death Thursday when she and her boyfriend attempted to make a citizen’s arrest of a Fallbrook teen-ager who had jumped bail, Sheriff’s Department investigators said.

Deputies said Barbara Ann Kunz, 25, and Jose Luis Baltierra, 28, had gone to the home of James Schneider, 18, to arrest him for jumping bail. Investigators said that Baltierra’s family had posted their property as security so Schneider could be released on bail on unspecified charges.

According to deputies, Schneider failed to make a court appearance last week and his bail was forfeited. Kunz and Baltierra tracked the youth to his parents’ Fallbrook home and went to arrest him at 10:30 a.m.

The three were standing in Schneider’s living room when Baltierra produced a handgun and Kunz attempted to handcuff the youth. Sheriff’s homicide investigators said that Baltierra and Schneider struggled over the gun and the weapon discharged, hitting Kunz once in the head.

Schneider fled on foot and Baltierra called paramedics. Kunz was taken to Fallbrook Hospital and was later taken by Life Flight helicopter to Palomar Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 2:20 p.m., Deputy Coroner George Dickerson said.

Baltierra was questioned by investigators and released. No charges have been filed in the case, but Schneider is being sought on several unrelated charges, deputies said.