Prosecutor Reckless driving plea deal for East Precinct cops brother in 2020 CHOP protest shooting

Nikolas Fernandez, brother of an East Precinct officer, accepted a plea deal for reckless driving related to a June 2020 shooting during a Black Lives Matter protest in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. Prosecutor Leesa Manion emphasized that the plea acknowledges the fear felt by the protestors but reflects the evidentiary challenges in proving the original assault charge against Fernandez. Under the deal, he will serve 24 months probation, face a 30-day driver’s license suspension, and incur mandatory court costs and fines. The prosecution initially charged him with first-degree assault after he drove into a closed street and shot at a protester, causing panic among demonstrators. The trial had faced multiple delays, with Fernandez remaining free on $150,000 bail since the incident.

Witness accounts and video evidence documented the chaos surrounding the shooting, which injured protester Dan Gregory. Fernandez claimed self-defense, asserting he was threatened during the incident, and prosecutors indicated they lacked sufficient evidence to counter this claim. The plea deal illustrates the complexities of prosecuting cases arising from protests and the challenges in addressing claims of self-defense.