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Arraignment Postponed For Parolee Accused Of Fatally Shooting Lancaster Sheriff's Sergeant

LANCASTER (CBSLA.com) — Arraignment has been postponed for a parolee accused of fatally shooting a Lancaster sheriff's sergeant, officials said Monday.

Trenton Trevon Lovell, 27, of Lancaster, will appear in court on Dec. 15, according to the district attorney's office.

Lovell has been charged with capital murder stemming from the Oct. 5 killing of Sgt. Steve Owen.

Sgt. Steve OwenThe murder charge includes the special circumstance allegations of murder of a peace officer in the performance of his duties, and murder for the purpose of avoiding or preventing a lawful arrest.

Lovell was also charged with one count each of attempted murder involving another sheriff's deputy and possession of a firearm by a felon, along with two counts each of first-degree residential robbery and false imprisonment by violence.

The false imprisonment charge includes a knife use allegation, and the attempted murder charge includes an allegation that Lovell used a patrol car as a deadly and dangerous weapon.

The criminal complaint also alleges that Lovell was on parole when he committed the crime, and that he had been convicted of robbery as a juvenile in 2006 and again as an adult in 2009.

Owen, 53, was shot to death as he responded to a young mother's 911 call reporting a burglary at her apartment building located in the 3200 block of West Avenue J-7.

The 29-year department veteran's wife, who is a sheriff's Arson-Explosives detective, made it to the hospital before her husband died.

Lovell has been arrested 11 times, first as a juvenile on suspicion of selling marijuana, and was jailed or imprisoned twice, according to sheriff's deputies.

Prosecutors will determine later whether to seek the death penalty against Lovell, who is being held without bail.

(©2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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