Man pleads guilty to firing gun at Coachella home

A man who fired a gunshot inside his Coachella home, then refused to surrender for about two hours, pleaded guilty today to a negligent discharge of a firearm count and was immediately sentenced to two
years in state prison.

Francisco Plazola-Madrid, 34, was arrested Dec. 21 following a two-hour standoff at his home in the 50100 block of Goya Drive.

Sheriff’s deputies responded at 6:37 a.m. for reports of a gunshot at the home, but Plazola-Madrid refused their instructions to come outside, prompting deputies to establish a perimeter around the home and evacuate neighboring residences, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. The standoff ended peacefully about two hours later, after deputies “convinced (him) to exit the residence.”

No one was struck by the gunfire or injured in the ensuing standoff at the defendant’s home.

Madrid was also charged with felony and misdemeanor counts related to firearm and ammunition possession, but those counts were dismissed at sentencing Tuesday.