San Rafael man pleads guilty in shooting, jail assault

A San Rafael man has pleaded guilty to a downtown shooting and an assault while he was in jail.

Andy Isoias Arevalo, 19, was arrested in May 2024 after a dispute on D Street. He fired a gun at a group of people, hitting no one, and then drove off. Two people chased him, both vehicles crashed on B Street and Arevalo fired into the other vehicle, injuring one of the occupants, police said.

While he was the county jail for that case, he allegedly struck another inmate with a bar of soap inside a sock.

On Tuesday, with the shooting trial approaching, Arevalo accepted a plea deal to resolve both cases. He admitted to assault with a firearm and assaulting the inmate.

Judge Kelly Simmons told Arevalo he faces a sentence of up to five years, although he will receive credit for the time he has spent in jail since his arrest.

“It means something to this young man, who can get on with his life,” said Jon Rankin, a defense attorney representing Arevalo.

The sentencing is scheduled for March 2.