Two Hesperia residents have been criminally charged in the December 23 murder of a Victorville man.
31-year old Christopher Brim was gunned down while sitting in his car in the parking lot of the Green Tree Liquor store at around 2:50 p.m. on Wednesday of last week.
Shortly after the shooting, deputies responded to the location at 14275 Hesperia Road in Victorville, where they found the victim, identified shortly thereafter as Brim, who had sustained several gunshot wounds, inside his parked vehicle. Brim was unresponsive. Medical personnel were summoned and Brim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Based upon evidence at the scene, further evidence and eyewitness accounts, sheriff’s deputies and detectives who became involved in the matter subsequently are alleging that Brim was killed by Antonio Mota, 21, of Hesperia. According to the sheriff’s department, a handgun was found in Brim’s vehicle.
The sheriff’s department determined Brim had purchased items inside the store and had returned to his vehicle when a car driven by Alicia Rivas, 22, came into the Green Tree Liquor Store parking lot. After Rivas parked next to Brim’s vehicle, according to investigators, Mota, a passenger in Rivas’ car, emerged and then shot into Brim’s vehicle several times.
Rivas and Mota fled the scene.
Based on a description of the vehicle, sheriff’s department detectives and deputies initiated a stake-out of an area in Hesperia where they believed Rivas would show up. Sheriff’s deputies, combing the area, spotted the couple in a different vehicle. After a short chase, they were apprehended.
“Several hours later, while conducting surveillance in Hesperia, deputies located Mota and Rivas, in a different vehicle,” according to a statement from the sheriff’s department. “Deputies conducted a traffic stop and a short pursuit ensued before Mota and Rivas were arrested without further incident. During the investigation, detectives located a handgun in Brim’s vehicle. When Mota was arrested, he was found to have a gunshot wound and detectives believe Brim returned fire during the shooting at the liquor store. Mota was transported to the hospital and released after medical personnel determined his wounds were not life threatening.”
Mota and Rivas were booked at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, Mota for Penal Code Section 187 – murder – and Rivas for Penal Codes Section 32 – accessory to murder.
Superior Court records show that on December 24, Mota by means of a video hook-up was arraigned by Judge David Driscoll on a case involving an incident that took place on December 7, 2020, 15 days before the Brim shooting. Mota at that point pleaded not guilty to Penal Code Section 245, assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm that was likely to cause great bodily injury, while simultaneously denying two enhancement allegations of Penal Code Section 12022(B)(1)-E, use of a deadly weapon and Penal Code Section 1186.22 (B)(1)-E, engaging in a serious felony. He was represented by Deputy Public Defender Mark Shoup in that matter, and was being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Casey Cunningham.
On December 29, Mota was arraigned via video by Judge David Driscoll on a charge of Penal Code Section 187 murder, relating to the Brim shooting, subject to a Penal Code Section 186.22 (B)(1)(C)-E violent felony enhancement, together with a Penal Code Section 186.22 (B)(1)(C)-E requirement that upon conviction he be imprisoned without the possibility of parole; a Penal Code Section 12022.53(C)-E enhancement of discharging a firearm; a Penal Code Section 12022.53(D)-E enhancement of discharging a firearm and causing great bodily injury; a Penal Code Section 12022.53(B)-E enhancement of using a firearm in the commission of a crime; and violation of Penal Code 29800 (A)(1)-F, being a felon or drug addict in possession of a firearm. He was again represented by Deputy Public Defender Mark Shoup and the State of California was again represented by Deputy District Attorney Casey Cunningham. Judge Driscoll entered not guilty pleas for Mota on the murder and being a felon or addict in possession of a firearm charges and denied the enhancements enumerated against him.
On Tuesday December 39, Rivas was under quarantine in custody and not present in the courtroom of Judge Jay H. Robinson when the charges of Penal Code Section 32-F, Penal Code Section 186.22(B)(1)(A)-E and Vehicle Code Section 2800.2 (A)-F were read against her.
On December 31, Rivas was arraigned via video by Judge Driscoll on Penal Code Section 32-F, being an accessory to murder, subject to a sentencing enhancement upon conviction of Penal Code Section 186.22(B)(1)(A)-E street gang terrorism; and a charge of violating Vehicle Code Section 2800.2 (A)-F evading a peace officer with wanton disregard for the safety of others. Judge Driscoll entered for her not guilty pleas on the accessory and evasion charges and denied the enhancement allegation.