Man sentenced to life in friend's death

Speaking through an interpretor, Daniel Cabrera said he remembers how his friend died in his arms from a wayward bullet fired as they were trying to chase down and shoot a biker.

It had been Cabrera who fired the fatal shot that hit his buddy, who was at the wheel of a Ford Bronco, and also fired a shot that struck the motorcycle rider in the back.

Cabrera had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and attempted murder charges in the July 31, 1997 incident and was sentenced Wednesday life in prison with the possibility of parole after he serves 10 years.

The attempted murder charge involved the biker, who lived although Deputy District Attorney Gary Guymon said in court Wednesday that he still carries the bullet.

Cabrera, 48, told District Judge Joseph Pavlikowski that he is still suffering because of what he had done to his friend, but he did not indicate how the wayward bullet was fired.

The melee apparently began when one of the occupants of the Bronco leaned out and punched the motorcyclist on Cheyenne Avenue near Pecos Road, Metro Police said.

The biker rode off with the Bronco -- its occupants firing numerous shots -- in pursuit.

Because of the driver's wound, the Bronco went out of control and crashed into a block wall in a vacant lot near Las Vegas Boulevard North and Pecos. The driver died at the scene.

Cabrera was arrested after police saw him hiding the .22-caliber murder weapon nearby.

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