A judge today ordered a Chico woman to stand trial for the attempted murder of a police officer in the Land Park shooting earlier this year in which the officer's K-9 partner, Bodie, was seriously injured and the defendant's boyfriend was killed.
Leslie Marie McCulley, 29, also will be tried on two weapons related charges, one count of felony evasion and another of receiving stolen property. She was taken into custody following a pursuit in which Bodie the police dog was shot in the jaw and paw. The German shepherd still is recovering from its injuries, but its handler, Officer Randy Van Dusen, said the dog is expected to possibly return to duty in another month.
McCulley's boyfriend, Lucas Jerome Webb, 33, was shot and killed by Van Dusen. The officer testified at a Sacramento Superior Court preliminary hearing today that he returned fire and fatally wounded Webb after the suspect first shot the dog and then fired once in the direction of the officer. The shootings took place in the backyard of a house on the 1100 block of Robertson Way after a police chase of a stolen car authorities say was driven by Webb.
Judge Patrick Marlette held McCulley to answer on the prosecution's theory that she aided and abetted Webb in what the District Attorney's Office says was his intent to shoot and kill a police officer at the end of the May 18 pursuit.
According to testimony at the preliminary hearing, Webb, McCulley and two passengers who bailed out of the car during the pursuit had come to Sacramento from Chico to arrange a marijuana deal.
Marlette scheduled McCulley's trial for March 5.
Photo: Bodie and a friend ride in a police vehicle in this year's Veteran's Day Parade. Credit: Renée C. Byer
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