PLACERVILLE, Calif. — The criminal case against Steven Carter, the Camino man accused of shooting two El Dorado County sheriff’s deputies and a Pacific Gas and Electric Co. contract worker, has been delayed again, pushing the closely watched proceedings further into the fall.
Carter, 66, was arrested following the March 12 shooting and standoff on Mountain View Drive in Camino. The incident began when a PG&E crew working in the residential area reported that a worker had been shot.
The worker suffered injuries that were not life-threatening and was released from the hospital the same day, according to authorities.
March shooting led to prolonged standoff
El Dorado County sheriff’s deputies responded to the Camino neighborhood at about 7:25 a.m. after receiving the report of gunfire.
According to authorities, Carter was located inside a residence, prompting the deployment of a SWAT team. Deputies spent more than three hours attempting to establish contact and de-escalate the situation.
The standoff ultimately ended in gunfire.
Two sheriff’s deputies, identified as J. Stillman and C. Reimche, and Carter were wounded during the exchange. The deputies were hospitalized but subsequently released and began their recovery.
Carter was also hospitalized and remained in custody.
The case has drawn considerable attention in Camino and throughout El Dorado County because the shooting involved both law enforcement officers and a utility worker performing routine work in a residential neighborhood.
Court proceedings repeatedly pushed back
The case has encountered several scheduling delays since Carter’s arrest.
On Aug. 21, El Dorado County Superior Court Judge Mark A. Ralphs set a Sept. 4 pre-preliminary hearing and a Sept. 24 preliminary hearing, according to an earlier court update. Both were scheduled in Department 2 of the El Dorado County Courthouse at 495 Main St. in Placerville.
The latest court update indicates those proceedings have now been delayed again, with Carter’s next appearance scheduled for November.
The repeated continuances mean the case has yet to reach the preliminary-hearing stage, where prosecutors would present evidence to establish whether there is sufficient cause for Carter to be held to answer on the felony charges.
A preliminary hearing is not a trial and does not determine guilt or innocence.
Carter is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Utility worker attack drew statewide attention
The March shooting also became part of a broader discussion in California about violence against utility workers.
Bob Dean, business manager for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1245, which represents the wounded PG&E worker, said following the incident:
“No worker should ever have to worry about violence from the very people they are there to help.”
The shooting occurred as utility crews were working in a rural El Dorado County neighborhood, underscoring the risks faced by workers who routinely enter private properties and residential areas to maintain critical infrastructure.
The California Legislature subsequently considered legislation increasing penalties for violence against utility workers. The debate cited hundreds of reported threats and violent incidents involving utility personnel statewide since 2024.
Case remains pending
For residents of Camino and the surrounding communities, the criminal case remains unresolved nearly six months after the shooting.
The next court appearance will determine the immediate procedural direction of the prosecution and whether the preliminary-hearing process can finally move forward.
Until then, Carter remains in custody while the criminal case proceeds through El Dorado County Superior Court.
Sources: El Dorado County Superior Court proceedings; El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office; CBS Sacramento; KCRA; Sacramento Bee; Mountain Democrat.
