Vancouver man sentenced to 3 years in drive-by shooting

A Vancouver man involved in a drive-by shooting, apparently done in reprisal for the theft of a quarter-pound of marijuana, was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison.

David Serrano-Smith Tovar, 19, pleaded guilty in Clark County Superior Court to drive-by shooting in the May 31 incident on Southeast Columbia Way just east of the Interstate 5 Bridge. He also pleaded guilty to bail jumping and possessing cocaine and methamphetamine in two other cases.

Someone reported hearing six to 10 gunshots coming from an older-model, light brown SUV. Upon arrival, police found a white GMC Acadia with four people inside. The occupants said someone shot at them. Officers found bullet holes on the left side of the Acadia’s rear door, the rear support arm near the left rear axle, and the right-side rear tire, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

One of the victims told police that the group had met up with a man named Justin Lee to buy a quarter-pound of marijuana in a nearby parking lot. Lee was in a brown Chevrolet Blazer. When they produced the money, Lee’s passenger, Tovar, pulled a firearm on them, the affidavit states.

As the victims sped away, Lee gave chase in the Blazer, with Tovar hanging out the window shooting at them, court records said.

Investigators later tracked down Lee in Battle Ground. He told investigators that he dealt marijuana, and Tovar was his supplier. Tovar had fronted him a large amount of marijuana, Lee said, and some of the victims from the drive-by previously stole a quarter-pound of it, according to court documents.

Lee said he arranged a meeting with the victims for Tovar, who was armed with a .357-caliber revolver. Lee said that when the victims fled, someone in the Acadia fired at the Blazer first.

Tovar was also sentenced to 18 months of community custody.