Staff Report

Authorities charged a San Diego County man with murder on Thursday, June 13, and identified the woman who died after being shot by a Riverside County sheriff’s deputy during a struggle for the deputy’s gun.

Jennifer Rose Dobbins, 30, of Imperial Beach, died at Riverside Community Hospital at 2:39 a.m. on June 11, about 90 minutes after being wounded in the confrontation on W. Sixth Street in Corona.

Eric John Nourani, 32, was also charged with attempted murder of a peace officer, mayhem, resisting arrest, and resisting arrest causing great bodily injury, according to the criminal complaint. Nourani pleaded not guilty to all charges in Riverside Superior Court on Thursday afternoon. He is being represented by the Public Defender’s Office.

Nourani is being held at Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside with bail set at $2 million.

The charges could result in a life sentence if Nourani is convicted. Under California’s felony murder law, a person can be charged with murder if they show “reckless indifference to human life” resulting in another’s death, even if they did not directly cause the fatal injury.

The exact details of the struggle and shooting remain unclear, and it is not known whether the deputy intentionally fired at Dobbins or if the gun discharged accidentally. The Sheriff’s Department has not disclosed the relationship between Dobbins and Nourani.

The incident began around 1:11 a.m. on Tuesday when a deputy attempted to speak with individuals on Sixth Street. When they fled, Nourani allegedly assaulted the deputy as he rounded a corner. During the ensuing struggle, Dobbins reportedly attempted to assault the deputy and was subsequently shot.

The deputy was treated at a hospital and has since been released, although the nature of his injuries has not been disclosed.

The California Attorney General’s Office is investigating the shooting as required by law, which mandates the Department of Justice to investigate fatal shootings of unarmed civilians by peace officers.