CEDAR CITY — A man who discharged a small-caliber pistol inside a Cedar City grocery store on Halloween has entered a guilty plea in connection with the case.
Joshua Erickson, 24, pleaded guilty on Dec. 6 to a single count of reckless endangerment, a class A misdemeanor.
In accordance with a plea agreement, Erickson’s plea will be held in abeyance for 18 months, 5th District Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen ruled immediately after accepting the guilty plea. That means if Erickson successfully abides by the terms set forth by the court, the charge will be dismissed and won’t go on his record.
As previously reported, Erickson was cited by Cedar City Police on Oct. 31 after a small gun he had in his pocket went off inside the Smith’s store at 633 S. Main Street. Two bystanders sustained minor injuries, which were reportedly welts or scratches caused by debris fragments from the ricocheting bullet. According to police, Erickson was a concealed-carry permit holder and was legally in possession of the weapon.
“Fortunately, it was not a much more tragic accident,” Iron County Attorney Chad Dotson said after last week’s hearing.
Allen ordered Erickson to serve 20 hours of community service and pay a $500 fine, plus a $53 court security fee.
Erickson was also ordered to write a letter of apology to the victims and provide a copy of that letter to the court within 30 days. Although Erickson said the victims were strangers to him, the court told him he could obtain their contact information from prosecutors.
“The court wishes you well, and it’s nothing personal, sir, but I hope we never see you in this context again,” Allen told Erickson as the brief hearing concluded. “You’re the one in control of that, so I can expect that it won’t happen.”
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