Columbia man pleads guilty to assault, unlawful use of a weapon; sentenced to four years

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man accused in a November shots-fired incident pleaded guilty to two charges on Friday.

Montrez Ricketts, 44, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon. He was sentenced to four years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. He was initially charged with three counts of first-degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon. 

Columbia police officers were dispatched in November to the intersection of Vandiver Drive and Sylvan Lane after multiple calls of shots fired were reported. Officers found three alleged victims in the area, as well as three .40 caliber shell casings and one 9mm shell casing, according to the probable cause statement.

One of the victims said a fight occurred earlier in the day and that a woman who they didn't know was harassing them at their residence. The victim said Ricketts also came over and a fight started between Ricketts and another one of the alleged victims.

The first alleged victim said the woman had made threats to have someone shoot up the house and Ricketts allegedly told someone the victim knew that he was going to do it, according to the statement.

The victim did not feel safe at the house and asked for a ride from another person who was at the residence, and all three alleged victims got into a vehicle. When they arrived to the intersection of Vandiver Drive and Sylvan Lane, a dark-colored SUV pulled up behind them and someone allegedly began shooting at them from that vehicle.

The SUV then allegedly rammed into their vehicle, and two of the alleged victims ran away out of fear of being shot, while the first victim laid on the floor of the vehicle. The victim said SUV belonged to Ricketts.