A Washington man has been ordered to stand trial for the fatal shooting of a man outside a bar on Santa Maria in early July.
Ron Dolph Tutay, 27, was taken into custody shortly after the July 2 shooting that killed Gerald Williams, 56, of Texas, in front of Louie B’s bar, Santa Maria police said.
At 9:24 that night, personnel from the Santa Maria police and fire departments and an AMR ambulance were dispatched to the shooting scene on the 200 block of East Main Street.
They found Williams with life-threatening injuries, and he was transported to a local hospital where he later died, according to police.
At the end of the preliminary hearing earlier this week in Santa Barbara County Superior Court, Judge John McGregor ordered Tutay to stand trial on a charge of murder and various sentencing enhancements, including a prior strike under the California Three Strikes Sentencing Law.
Washington court records in Pierce County show that Tutay was convicted of armed robbery in 2017.
A preliminary hearing involves presentation of evidence to determine if probable cause exists for a defendant to face trial.
The hearing, often only involving testimony of law enforcement officers, typically has limited presentation from the defense.
Deputy District Attorney Austin Ingalls led the prosecution team, while Lori Pedego represented the defendant.
The judge ordered Tutay to return to court Aug. 26 for arraignment on the charges.
Tutay remains in the custody at the Santa Barbara County Jail, with bail set at $3 million.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.