Santee
An El Cajon man charged with shooting a motorist in the back after a traffic dispute was ordered Monday to stand trial for attempted murder.
Simeon Berkley, 45, was bound over to Superior Court for a March 11 trial after a preliminary hearing before Municipal Judge Joe Littlejohn.
Berkley is charged with shooting Richard Durkin, 31, of Santee, on Feb. 6 after Berkley motioned for Durkin to pull over after leaving Interstate 8.
Durkin did not testify at Monday’s hearing, but a deputy sheriff who interviewed him in the hospital testified that the conflict developed after both drivers tried to merge into the same lane.
The dispute ended up on Magnolia Avenue in Santee, where Durkin was shot near the hip after his back was turned to Berkley, the district attorney’s office alleges. Durkin is out of the hospital but using crutches.
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