By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
A 27-year-old man accused of accidentally shooting and killing his younger brother at Yuba State Park on Memorial Day has been charged with manslaughter.
"I can't comment directly on the facts," said Jared Eldridge, Juab County Attorney. "I can tell you I met with the family last week on Wednesday to discuss the case. The family is obviously very emotional, dealing with the loss of one son and criminal charges against the other. I explained to the family why I felt the facts supported the charges and answered any questions they had for me."
On June 12, in Fourth District Court, Eric Wayne Charlton was charged with three counts.
Count I: Manslaughter, a second degree felony, for recklessly causing the death of another and using a dangerous weapon in the commission.
Count II: Reckless Endangerment, a class "A" misdemeanor, because, under circumstances not amounting to a felony offense, E. Charlton did recklessly engage in conduct that created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to another person.
Count III: Carrying a Dangerous Weapon While Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs, a class "B" misdemeanor.
In the probable cause statement filed with the court, Alan Taylor, Juab County Deputy Sheriff, submitted evidence used to support the statement he gave.
On May 28, the Sunday of the three-day Memorial holiday, E. Charlton and his younger brother, Cameron Charlton, 17, and other family and friends were camping at the Oasis Campground at Yuba Lake for the weekend.
Late Sunday evening or early Monday morning, C. Charlton and his friend, an unidentified juvenile, were talking with others at a camp trailer when they decided to go sit by the campfire and talk with Cameron's brother, E. Charlton, West Haven, a former US Marine.
"While Eric, Cameron and the friend talked around the campfire, all three of them consumed alcohol," said Taylor in the probable cause statement. "At some point during the night, Eric unloaded a Colt 45 model 1911 hand gun and showed Cameron and his friend that the hand gun was unloaded."
E. Charlton then used the hand gun to demonstrate some techniques he had learned at a recent tactical training class he had attended. After the demonstration, Eric Charlton re-inserted the loaded magazine into the hand gun and the three sat in chairs around the campfire and continued talking.
As the three were sitting around the campfire, they were in close proximity to one another with both C. Charlton and his friend sitting to E, Charlton's right.
The conversation turned to E. Charlton's experience in the military and E. Charlton began talking about how important trust is in the military.
"During this conversation, Eric made the comment, 'You're my brother, you know you can trust me.' As Eric made this statement, he reached for and drew the hand gun with his right hand, pointed it at Cameron's left temple and fired the hand gun," quoted the probable cause statement.
After he fired the hand gun, E. Charlton immediately began to administer first aid to his brother and asked others to call 911.
An ambulance and medical helicopter responded. Despite the first aid and medical assistance, Cameron Charlton died at the scene.
Subsequently, the medical examiner found the cause of death to be a contact gunshot wound to the youth's head.
During interviews at the scene with the obviously distraught E. Charlton, law enforcement officers smelled an odor of alcohol about him. E. Charlton admitted to consuming alcohol before the shooting and a blood draw was taken in order to determine his blood alcohol content. Those results are pending.
If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison.
E. Charlton is out on bail while he awaits a June 19 court appearance in Fourth District Court in Juab County.
