PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – An 81-year-old man accused of shooting at Pembroke Pines police officers and civilians last year appeared in court Thursday, at which time a judge dropped three of the charges against him.
Dr. Solomon Stinson, a former Miami-Dade County School Board member, no longer faces two counts of attempted murder and one count of aggravated fleeing/eluding at high speed.
In exchange for those charges being dropped, Stinson pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The judge withheld adjudication and sentenced Stinson to two years of house arrest with an electronic monitor followed by eight years of probation. During the probationary period, Stinson is not allowed to consume alcohol or drugs, except those prescribed to him by a doctor.
He is also not allowed to possess any firearms and will move to a secure facility for dementia treatment.
A physical and psychological evaluation will be performed at the facility.
Other conditions include restitution in the amount of $1,684.52, which he must pay to Joel Torres, and $5,301.38 that must be paid to Coral Richiez.
“This case has been brought to closure and, fortunately, Dr. Stinson will be able to live the rest of his life with integrity,” Stinson’s defense attorney, David Kubiliun, said. “He was not convicted of any of the charges and he is going to now be placed in a facility that will be able to meet his needs and care.”
According to an arrest report, Stinson got into an argument with a man in June 2019 over a parking spot at the Pembroke Lakes Mall.
He then shot at the victim’s car, authorities said.
Police said Stinson drove away and started following another victim before officers spotted him.
They said that's when Stinson opened fire at officers near Flamingo Road and Johnson Street.
Officers returned fire and Stinson eventually lost control of his car and crashed into a wooded area.
His car caught fire.
Police said Stinson tried to run away, but he was eventually taken into custody.
Kubiliun said the medical experts involved in the case helped convince the state attorney’s office to give Stinson a reasonable plea.
“We have to remember Dr. Stinson is a staple to the Miami-Dade community,” Kubiliun said. “You are talking about a gentlemen that’s given over 50 years of his life to serving the children of Miami-Dade County. I mean, this guy in my estimation is a legend, and to be a convicted felon after something that he had absolutely no idea of what he was doing would have been a travesty of justice to be honest with you.”