MENDOCINO Co., 3/29/17 — The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office has released additional information on the shooting that occurred near Anchor Bay on Monday, March 26.
A dispute between two senior citizens, Harry Miller and Paul Palestrini over an easement, escalated until Miller allegedly shot Palestrini, and allegedly attempted to shoot his wife Desiree Palestrini. Apparently Palestrini still managed to severely injure Miller, after being shot, and both men were flown to out of county hospitals. Palestrini remains in critical condition and Miller has been released from the hospital and taken into custody.
Here is the press release from the MCSO. The Mendocino Voice has not independently verified these facts, and all of the accused are considered innocent until proven guilty.
PRESS RELEASE:
“DATE: “March 29, 2018“
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Incident Number: 2018-8633
Crime/Incident: 664/187 PC, [Attempted murder] X2 Counts
12022.53(d) PC [Personal use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, causing great bodily injury]
Location: 35000 Block South Highway 1, Anchor Bay Ca.
Date of Incident: 03/26/2018
Time: 4:28 PM
Victim(s): #1)Paul Palestrini 62 year old white male, Anchor Bay Ca;
#2)Desiree Palestrini, 36 year old white female, Anchor Bay Ca.
Suspect(s): Harry Miller, 69 years of age, Anchor Bay Ca.
Written By: Sergeant Andrew Porter
Synopsis:
On Monday, March 26th at approximately 4:28 PM, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a reported gunshot victim who had been transported to the Redwood Coast Medical Services facility located in Gualala.
Responding deputies learned that there had been an altercation between neighbors in the 35000 block of South Highway 1 in Anchor Bay, which resulted in one subject being shot by the other. As the investigation continued, it was learned that during a dispute the two persons, Paul Palestrini 62 years of age, and Harry Miller 69 years of age were in a physical altercation, during which, Miller shot Palestrini in the torso and Palestrini struck Miller with a shovel. The dispute was apparently over an easement on a shared driveway.
Both subjects received significant injuries and both were subsequently transported, via air ambulances, to a Sonoma County hospital where they are listed in stable condition. At this time the investigation is ongoing and it has not been determined if there was a primary aggressor of the incident.
UPDATED INFORMATION
During this investigation, it was determined that the suspect, Harry William Miller, a 69 year old whiter male from Anchor Bay California, produced a firearm during a dispute over easement access, and shot the victim, Paul Palestrini, a 62 year old white male from Anchor Bay, without provocation. After shooting the victim, the suspect attempted to shoot the wife of the victim, Desiree Palestrini, a 32 year old white female from Anchor Bay. Paul Palestrini suffered a life threatening gunshot wound and was flown to an out of county hospital where he remains in critical condition at this time.
Miller, after shooting the victim, suffered severe injuries as well from the victim defending his own life. Miller was flown to an out of county hospital. On03/29/18 Miller was released from the hospital and surrendered himself to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office where he was booked in the Mendocino County for two counts of attempted murder, and an enhancement of personal use of a firearm, causing great bodily injury. Miller’s bail is set at $750,000.
Any persons with information about this incident are encouraged to contact the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center at 707-463-4086 or call the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 707-234-2100.
Approved by: Lieutenant Shannon Barney”
