PORT ANGELES — A woman has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for a drive-by shooting in Port Angeles.
Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden sentenced Stephanie Baker-Paulsen, 44, on Tuesday for the May 23 incident.
Baker-Paulsen pleaded guilty to pulling into an alley and shooting at a house in the vicinity of Fifth and Oak streets. The residence was unoccupied at the time, and no one was injured.
Drive-by shooting is a Class B felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine.
The Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and the defense agreed to a 15-month sentence because Baker-Paulsen was forthcoming in her admission and accepted responsibility for her actions. The standard range for someone with no relevant criminal history is 15-20 months.
After prison, she will be subject to 18 months of community custody supervision by the state Department of Corrections. Her financial obligations were waived due to indigence.
The court also imposed a 10-year no-contact order between Baker-Paulsen and the intended shooting target.
“I thought he was trying to kill my dog,” Baker-Paulsen said at her sentencing, while acknowledging she made a poor decision.
Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Michele Devlin said the prosecuting attorney’s office takes drive-by shootings seriously.
“Drive-by shootings are terrifying for the community and have become more prevalent in recent years,” she said.
