Man accused of shooting hostages, CHP officer at Roseville park appears in Placer court

A man facing murder and attempted murder charges in a standoff with law enforcement at a Roseville park appeared for his arraignment hearing Tuesday in a Placer County courtroom.

Eric James Abril, 35, of Roseville has been in custody since the April 6 shooting at Mahany Park. Police said Abril shot a California Highway Patrol officer at the park trying to serve a search warrant, before he took two hostages and shot them both during the standoff with police.

Abril pleaded not guilty to the charges and denied the enhancement allegations against him during the brief court hearing. He agreed to waive his right to a preliminary hearing within 60 court days.

Placer Superior Court Judge Colleen Nichols scheduled Abril to return to court May 23 for further proceedings. She ordered Abril to remain in custody without bail.

Assistant Public Defender Brandon Bob, who has been appointed by the court to represent Abril, said his office will be reading the investigative reports and conducting some of their own investigation in his client’s case as they prepare his legal defense. Bob declined to comment on the charges.

“This is a very serious case, and we’re taking it one step at a time,” Bob said after Tuesday’s hearing.

James MacEgan of Roseville and his wife, Patricia MacEgan, were taken hostage at the park. MacEgan died from his injuries. His wife and the CHP officer were wounded by gunfire.

Abril is accused of murder in MacEgan’s death along with special allegations of using a 10 mm handgun to kidnap the victim while committing the crime, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Placer County District Attorney’s Office.

Prosecutors also have charged Abril with aggravated kidnapping causing bodily harm in holding MacEgan’s wife at gunpoint along with special allegations of using the handgun in the crime, according to the complaint filed in court April 10.

The court document also indicates that Abril is accused of attempted murder of a peace officer, CHP Officer Matthew Hiatt, with special allegations that Abril used the handgun and was wearing a body-armor vest in the crime. Abril also faces a charge of being a convicted felon in possession of a gun.

Previous criminal convictions

Abril has four previous criminal convictions in Santa Clara County, including 2008 convictions of resisting or preventing an officer from performing their duties and grand theft; a 2010 second-degree burglary conviction; and a 2013 conviction for carrying a concealed knife, according to the filed complaint.

He also was convicted in 2014 in San Luis Obispo County for second-degree burglary and preventing or dissuading a witness or victim from testifying, according to the complaint.

Abril was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with officers. He was hospitalized until the following evening, when he was released from the hospital and booked at the Placer County Jail.

Details of police shootout with suspect

The Roseville Police Department has said that investigators are “confident” — based on evidence and witness statements — that Abril shot the two hostages during the standoff as officers exchanged gunfire with the suspect at the park.

Police have confirmed that CHP officers were conducting “a planned operation” on the afternoon of April 6 and planned to “make contact” with Abril at Mahany Park. The Police Department said its officers were only aware at the time of the CHP was conducting surveillance in the area, but police officials did not know the details of the search warrant.

The CHP has not said why its officers were serving a search warrant about 12:30 p.m. at the 255-acre Mahany Park, where residents gather for walks, visits to a dog park, a library and baseball and softball fields.

The CHP Auburn Area Office has said in a news release that the alleged shooter was the “suspect of an ongoing felony investigation,” and that the suspect fired at officers while running to a greenbelt area, wounding Hiatt. The CHP said it is conducting an administrative investigation regarding the incident and the shooting.

The CHP has not disclosed the nature of the investigation or the search warrant.

The Police Department confirmed that six CHP officers were involved in the shooting when they initially contacted Abril, before Roseville officers were called to help.

Investigators believe Abril began shooting at officers in the park and fired 15 to 20 gunshots at officers and victims throughout the incident, police said. CHP officers fired about 15 to 25 gunshots at the suspect during the ordeal; Roseville officers fired six gunshots at Abril.

Police said Abril suffered one gunshot wound to his left arm during the shootout. The Police Department did not know which officer fired the gunshot that hit Abril.