San Bernardino Police Want Charges Filed Against Shot Basketball Coach
RIALTO (CBSLA.com) — The San Bernardino Police Chief said in a statement Friday that he plans on asking the DA to file charges against Steven Johnson, the high school basketball coach who was shot four times during the commission of a robbery last month.
Chief Robert Handy says "Mr. Johnson withheld some information in his statement to us ...and did hinder out investigation of the crime."
Johnson, 47, of Yucaipa, was reportedly approached by three men who tried to take his wallet on the night of January 21. Johnson, the head basketball coach at Eisenhower High School in Rialto, said he stopped at Seaccombe Lake to use the city park's restroom on his way home.
After the men failed to get his wallet, Johnson was shot four times.
He was able to drive himself to San Bernardino Police headquarters, less than half a mile from the park.
From there he was taken by ambulance to Loma Linda University Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.
Johnson -- named "Coach of the Year" by the L.A. Times in 2009 -- remains hospitalized.
Greg Mills, reporting for CBS2 and KCAL9, said the hospital referred him to Johnson's brother for comment. Mills said, "His brother didn't return our call."
Although police are sending their case against Johnson to the DA, Chief Handy also said in his statement, "We have no reason to doubt that he was the victim of an attempted robbery and shooting."
The investigation into the crime continues.
Mills reported that as of late Friday, the DA has not yet received the case.
