Springdale teen sentenced to probation for negligent homicide, battery

 Hector Saul Ramos
Hector Saul Ramos

A Springdale teenager was sentenced to probation for negligent homicide and two counts of aggravated battery for killing one man and wounding a woman and another teenager in a 2015 shooting. He is expected to be released later today.

Hector Saul Ramos, 18, was found guilty of the charges after a two-day trial. He was originally charged with first-degree murder, but the jury found him guilty of the lesser charge.

Ramos was sentenced to six months probation, suspended, on the charge of negligent homicide. He was sentenced to five years probation for first-degree battery involving Savanna Smith and five years probation for first-degree battery involving Juan Araujo. The sentences will all run concurrently.

Ramos has spent more than a year at the Washington County Juvenile Detention.

Police found Fabian Rodriguez, 18, of 2406 Trudi Place with a gunshot wound in the yard of 32 Applegate Drive just after 3 a.m. on March 13, 2015. Rodriguez was pronounced dead at Northwest Medical Center-Springdale.

Smith, 21, and Araujo, 14, arrived at the hospital with gunshot wounds shortly after the shooting. Springdale police shortly afterward described the shooting as gang-related.

Ramos' attorney, Justin Hurst, said Tuesday that Ramos was acting in self-defense when Rodriguez and Araujo came to his home with a machete and a 4-foot iron pipe. Hurst said Rodriguez and Araujo had every intention of killing Ramos that night.

Matt Durrett, prosecutor, said Tuesday that Ramos had ample time to call police before opening fire on Rodriguez and wasn't in immediate danger because he was in his apartment. Ramos also had time to get dressed before he pursued Araujo down the street, "shooting up the neighborhood" before finally calling police. Smith was shot for no reason, he said.

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