PAYETTE — A Fruitland man accused of shooting and killing a man outside an Ontario, Oregon restaurant Sunday was arraigned in a Payette County courtroom Monday.
The suspect led police on a chase through Idaho before we was caught and arrested.
Jaime Escobedo, 41, is currently being held in Payette County Jail on charges related to the chase that extended through several counties.
Escobedo is accused of killing of a 38-year-old Portland man. Since the shooting happened in Ontario, he will likely be extradited to Oregon soon to face charges.
In court Monday, the prosecution detailed the events that witnesses say happened Sunday morning outside the Los Potrillos restaurant on NW 1st Street in Ontario.
According to witness accounts and Ontario police, the Portland man was shot and killed after an incident inside the restaurant spilled out into the parking lot.
Escobedo reportedly fired a semi-automatic gun two to five times at the victim.
The prosecution said that Escobedo was in possession of a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol when he was arrested.
After the shooting, Escobedo drove away from the scene and into Idaho, leading several police agencies on a chase.
He eventually got out of his truck and tried to run away. After a brief foot pursuit, police arrested him.
Payette County Prosecutor Ross Pittman asked the judge for a significant bond amount.
"Your honor based on correlation based on the danger and the extent to which the defendant took to avoid to being taken in by law enforcement, I think that he does represent not only a danger to the community based on the seriousness of the charge, but a risk of fleeing. And he has already demonstrated that," said Pittman.
Judge Brian Lee set Escobedo’s bond at $1 million.
Escobedo faces a felony charge in Idaho for trying to elude police and leading them on a chase. He also faces a misdemeanor for resisting arrest.
As for the other charges related to the shooting, Escobedo will have to be extradited back to Oregon.
The Malheur County Prosecutor’s Office still needs to file formal criminal charges. That is expected to happen soon.
For now, Escobedo will remain in the Payette County Jail. His next court date is set for Dec. 3.