Authorities responded to a house on the 32500 block of Crete Road Sunday around 10 a.m. and found a 56-year-old man with a gunshot wound.
Julian St. John was identified as the shooter after the preliminary investigation. The victim told police that after the shooting, St. John stole his Mercedes-Benz SUV and fled.
The SUV was located about 30 minutes later in the San Clemente area. Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver refused to pullover. A short chase ended near the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, and the driver fled on foot.
After a five-hour search of the area, St. John was not found. A handgun believed to be used in the shooting was located inside the Mercedes.
Park rangers found St. John near their gate off Basilone Road in San Clemente at 2:50 a.m. Monday. He was arrested for attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.
What sparked the shooting remains unknown. St. John is being held on $500,000 bail and is scheduled to be in court Tuesday.
