Witness testifies in Modesto's Oregon Park shooting

A man testified in court today that he heard shots fired from a sport utility vehicle and from a Modesto park, where a 17-year-old girl was fatally wounded in a drive-by gangland shooting nearly seven years ago.

Attorneys this week began their defense of Edgar Barajas, 23, of Modesto and Jesus Rodriguez, 22, of Patterson, who are accused of murder in the shooting death of Ernestina “Tina” DeJesus Tizoc.

Authorities believe Tizoc was killed by a bullet fired by a rifle from a white Chevrolet Blazer as it drove slowly by Oregon Park in Modesto’s airport neighborhood.

Defense attorney Robert Winston has told the jury that evidence will show someone fired a gun from the park at the Blazer, and the bullet that killed Tina was not fired from the SUV.

This morning, Nicholas Jones testified for the defense, speaking about what he saw and heard at the park when Tizoc was killed on May 26, 2004.

Jones was being held at the Stanislaus County Jail after he was arrested in January on suspicion of receiving stolen property. He walked into the courtroom wearing an orange-striped inmate jumpsuit, shackles on his wrists and ankles and safety helmet.

On the witness stand, Jones said he suffers from a disorder that causes him to have seizures and wears the helmet to protect himself from injuries.

“It’s to prevent me from splitting my head open,” Jones said before explaining why he was a little late to testify. “I just woke up, I’m sorry. My meds make me sleep a lot.”

Bee staff writer Rosalio Ahumada can be reached at rahumada@modbee.com or (209)578-2394.