Not Guilty Plea in Crossbow Shot-in-the-Head Incident

A Normal Heights man accused of shooting his male lover in the back of the head with a target “bolt” fired from a crossbow pleaded not guilty Wednesday in San Diego Municipal Court to charges of attempted murder and auto theft.

Jesse Jeff Solis, 25, is accused of the apparently unprovoked attack on 29-year-old Arthur Ekvall, a parking lot attendant who miraculously survived the bizarre incident.

Ekvall’s injuries and amazing luck have surprised and shocked police, prosecutors and the public. After the shooting, Ekvall fought off his attacker and fled the apartment, even though the tip of the projectile had caused the skin on his forehead to jut out and the feathers of the bolt were clearly visible as they protruded from the back of his neck.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert Hammes said Ekvall is expected to be released from Mercy Hospital today or Friday.

Ekvall reported waking up at 4:30 a.m. Monday after feeling an “explosion in his head” caused by the bolt, the term archers use for an arrow used with a crossbow, Hammes said.

Ekvall probably survived the attack because he was hit with a target bolt. Hammes said a hunting bolt has razor-sharp fins that extend out from the tip of the shaft and “would have done tremendous damage.”

The shooting took place in Solis’ apartment while Ekvall was spending the night. “The motive is the two had not been getting along,” Hammes said.

Even though the two reportedly lived together until December, “it appears they had an on-again, off-again relationship,” Hammes said.

Municipal Judge Jay M. Bloom ordered Solis held in lieu of $250,000 bail until a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 23.

Solis is charged with attempted murder, along with allegations that he used a deadly weapon and caused great bodily injury. If convicted, he could serve more than 16 years in state prison.

He is also accused of stealing Ekvall’s pickup truck, which he was driving when El Cajon police took him into custody soon after the attack.