In a recent development, Andrew Christopher Watson, a 29-year-old resident of Manteca, pleaded not guilty to a first-degree murder charge on Tuesday, according to San Joaquin County Superior Court. The charge includes a firearms enhancement that could result in a sentence of up to 50 years to life imprisonment.
The incident in question occurred on June 15 at approximately 12:46 p.m. Ilkhom Shodiev, a 37-year-old Amazon big rig driver from North Carolina, was driving northbound on Interstate 5 near Lathrop. For reasons yet to be established, Shodiev was shot, causing his vehicle to veer off the freeway and collide with parked cars at a nearby business before crashing into a building. Shodiev was later pronounced dead at an area hospital.
Watson, who was arrested in late June, is currently being held without bail. As the case unfolds, the community awaits further developments, particularly in understanding the motives behind this shocking crime.
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