La Salle shooting trial set Nov. 27

A La Salle man will stand trial Nov. 27 for the accidental shooting that left his brother injured.

Richard J. Venegas, 64, appeared Thursday in La Salle County Circuit Court and entered a not guilty plea to reckless conduct resulting in great bodily harm, a Class 4 felony carrying one to three years in prison but also the possibility of probation.

Venegas will next appear Nov. 2 for a motions hearing.

He was charged after a March 22 shooting inside Mickey’s Massive Burritos, during which owner Michael “Mickey” Venegas was shot in the leg.

According to court records, Richard Venegas mishandled a loaded firearm with the safety mechanism not engaged “even after Michael Venegas attempted to direct the firearm in another direction.”

Mickey Venegas survived, but La Salle County State’s Attorney Joe Navarro termed the injury at the time as “extremely life-threatening.”