Vancouver boy, 17, accused in drive-by shooting pleads guilty to assault, drug charges
A 17-year-old boy who originally faced an attempted murder charge for a July drive-by shooting in Vancouver has pleaded guilty to lesser charges and was sentenced to a juvenile rehabilitation facility.
Joaquin Camacho-Trejo Jr. pleaded guilty March 20 in Clark County Juvenile Court to second-degree assault with a deadly weapon and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, according to court records.
The charges brought against Camacho-Trejo in Superior Court were dismissed with prejudice following the guilty plea in juvenile court.
Court Commissioner Juliet Laycoe sentenced him to between one and 1 1/4 years in the custody of the Department of Children, Youth and Families Juvenile Rehabilitation for the assault charge. He received a local sentence of 30 days in detention for the drug charge and received credit for eight months he has already spent in custody.
Vancouver police received multiple 911 calls on the night of July 11 reporting a confrontation in a Safeway parking lot at 6701 E. Mill Plain Blvd. Witnesses reported that occupants of a Jeep Cherokee opened fire on a Ram pickup truck.
Officers responded to the scene at approximately 11:40 p.m. The Jeep had already fled the area and was not immediately located, according to court records.
Upon arrival, police found 21-year-old Orlando Luna Flores inside the pickup suffering from gunshot wounds to his abdomen and left leg. He was taken to a local hospital for emergency surgery.
Luna Flores later identified Camacho-Trejo as the driver of the Jeep. According to court records, he told investigators that Camacho-Trejo approached him in the parking lot while brandishing a handgun and questioned why Luna Flores was following him.
In his statement to police, Luna Flores said that as he attempted to drive away, Camacho-Trejo fired toward the truck. Luna Flores reported that he accelerated out of fear, striking the Jeep in the process. At that point, two other individuals in the Jeep also began shooting at the pickup. Officers later determined the truck had been struck by gunfire roughly 20 times, court records show.
In his guilty plea statement, Camacho-Trejo admitted to intentionally assaulting Luna Flores with a semi-automatic firearm. He also admitted to knowingly possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute it on the same date.
The teenager was initially facing much steeper charges, including first-degree attempted murder, drive-by shooting and first-degree assault.
As part of the settlement, Camacho Trejo is subject to a 10-year no-contact order protecting Luna Flores. He is also legally barred from possessing firearms, alcohol and controlled substances.
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This story was originally published April 17, 2026 at 7:07 AM.