Man enters guilty plea in attack on Indiana cab driver
CLINTON COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) – A Clinton County man has pleaded guilty to his part in an attack on an elderly taxi driver last year on the day of his jury trial.
Tuesday morning, 24-year old Andres Bautista entered a guilty plea to a charge of attempted robbery resulting in serious bodily injury. Bautista is one of three people accused in the attack, 23-year-old Brenda Garcia and 20-year-old Nellie King have also pleaded guilty to the same charge.
Chief deputy prosecuting attorney John Meyers said Tuesday was the day for Bautista’s jury trial, and a jury was waiting in the courtroom for the trial when the defendant decided to plead guilty.
Bautista, Garcia and King are accused of getting into 73-year-old Frank Hornsby’s taxi in November of 2014, demanding money and then beating him. Hornsby suffered severe facial injuries from the attack.
Meyers said the plea agreement provided that the state would dismiss the other charges involved in the case. The judge will announce his decision on that at the time of sentencing. If the judge accepts the agreement, including the dismissal of charges, Meyers said then the additional charges will be dismissed.
Bautista faces 10 to 30 years behind bars. A sentencing date for Sept. 21 has been set.