Alleged burglar shot by homeowner Christmas morning is due in court

A Fullerton man who was shot in the back with a shotgun early Christmas morning after allegedly breaking into a home is due in court Wednesday.

Jeremy William Bell, 29, is scheduled to be arraigned on one count each of burglary, aggravated assault and attempted burglary, with sentencing enhancements of using a deadly weapon and having a previous conviction of being a felon with a weapon.

Bell was captured after fighting the victim of a home he was burglarizing, police said.

The homeowner said he confronted Bell, who was wearing a ski mask, in his home in the 900 block of South Country Glen Way about 3:30 a.m. on Dec. 25, police said. The homeowner heard noise in the garage and went to check it out, Orange County prosecutors said.

When the homeowner opened the garage door, Bell allegedly hit him in the face with a wrench. The homeowner fled back into his home and grabbed a shotgun and Bell ran away, prosecutors said. The homeowner fired a single shot, sending chunks of birdshot into Bell’s back, prosecutors said.

Police cordoned off the area and found Bell hiding in a neighbor’s garage. After being treated at a local hospital, he was taken to jail and is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail.

Police said they think Bell burglarized another home hours before the shooting – on Christmas Eve.

The owner of that home told police he also saw a man in a ski mask attempting to break into his home through a downstairs window. The burglar fled but could not be found by police searching the area, prosecutors said.

If convicted, Bell faces as long as nine years and four months in prison.

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