A Vancouver man who shot at his then-girlfriend’s younger brother during an argument over rent money was sentenced Thursday to 5¾ years in prison.
Lowell Edward Jackson, 48, pleaded guilty June 7 in Clark County Superior Court to second-degree assault with a deadly weapon stemming from the Feb. 1, 2017, incident.
Jackson had been held in Oregon until earlier this year on charges of possession of cocaine, delivery of cocaine, attempting to elude police and reckless driving in Multnomah County, Ore. His Oregon sentence was completed in January.
Jackson initially faced attempted murder, among other charges, here but pleaded guilty to assault as part of a plea deal.
Shortly after 10 a.m., Feb. 1, 2017, Jackson got into an argument with his then-girlfriend, Alicha Rogers, over rent money. Her younger brother, Markel Bolton, who lived with the couple at 14417 N.E. 30th St., intervened, and a fistfight ensued between the men, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
Jackson went outside and grabbed a handgun from his car. He then entered the apartment, pulled the firearm from his sock and pointed it at Bolton. Rogers tried to wrestle the handgun away, but Jackson pushed her to the floor and fired two rounds at her brother. The rounds barely missed Bolton as he dove to the ground, the affidavit states.
At the time of the shooting, Jackson’s daughter, 2, was reportedly sitting in the living room, court records say.
Jackson drove off, heading south until he eventually crashed on the Interstate 205 exit to Northeast Killingsworth Street in Portland. He was taken into custody in Oregon.
During sentencing, Jackson told Judge John Fairgrieve that Bolton had attacked him after he overheard Jackson saying Bolton was a freeloader.
Fairgrieve opted to sentence Jackson to 69 months in prison, which includes a 12-month deadly weapon enhancement, based on the serious nature of the crime. He did give Jackson some credit for time served while he was held in Oregon, though.
In addition to the prison sentence, Jackson will serve 18 months of community custody and must undergo substance abuse and anger management evaluations and treatment.
Fact-based reporting from the largest newsroom of professional journalists in Southwest Washington. Subscribe today for $99/year
Your tax-deductible donation to The Columbian’s Community Funded Journalism program will contribute to better local reporting on key issues, including homelessness, housing, transportation and the environment. Reporters will focus on narrative, investigative and data-driven storytelling.
Local journalism needs your help. It’s an essential part of a healthy community and a healthy democracy.
