Dobbins shooter's hearing waits

A Dobbins man who pleaded guilty to assault with a firearm of a sheriff's deputy in April had his sentencing hearing postponed a week.

Timothy Dale Dufore, 38, appeared before Yuba County Superior Court Judge James L. Curry on Friday as his attorney, Richard Cole, said Dufore poses no danger to society and should be put into a Santa Cruz County alcohol and mental health treatment program.

Dufore is scheduled to be back in court at 1:30 p.m. Friday.

"I see no indication that he intended to harm anyone," Cole said. "He's had access to a firearm for a long, long time and only on this occasion did he pull the trigger. I'm not sure if he knows why he pulled the trigger."

Dufore pleaded guilty in April to assaulting a Yuba County sheriff's deputy during a standoff at Dufore's residence in August.

Cole said his client fired a gunshot through a screen door into the air, not at a deputy parked outside the residence.

Curry said court records seemed to indicate that Cole appeared to be trying to commit suicide by having a deputy shoot him. The judge said he wasn't completely convinced that Dufore posed a low risk to society.

Dufore suffers from alcoholism and bipolar disorder, which helped cause him to fire his weapon, Cole said. He was originally charged with attempted murder, but that charge was dropped in April.

Larry Sager, Yuba County deputy district attorney, said he did not oppose putting Dufore in a treatment program. He said treatment could help Dufore succeed by offering the incentive of avoiding jail.

"Everyone knows what will happen if there is a breakdown," Sager said.

Appeal-Democrat reporter Daniel Witter can be reached at 749-4712. You may e-mail him at dwitter@appeal-democrat.com.