Aliso Viejo Man Faces Attempted Murder Charges In Sunday Shooting

MISSION VIEJO, CA —An Aliso Viejo man accused of a domestic violence incident and shooting another woman was charged Tuesday with two counts of attempted murder.

Michael French, 29, was also charged with two misdemeanor counts of battery and hit-and-run with property damage and faces sentencing enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury on one victim and discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury or death, according to court records.

French was accused of shooting the 21-year-old victim, whose name was withheld, at about 8 p.m. Sunday behind a business at Marguerite Parkway and La Paz Road, according to Sgt. Todd Hylton of the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

French was being held on $500,000 bail.

Sheriff's deputies were called about a domestic violence incident around 7:30 p.m. Sunday in San Clemente, but when they arrived, French had left the scene, Hylton said.

About 10 minutes later, deputies were called about reckless driving by the driver of a pickup truck that matched the description of the vehicle French was seen driving away in, Hylton said.

The victim saw French involved in an alleged hit-and-run collision, so she followed him, Hylton said. The two had no prior relationship, he said.

The details of the shooting that ensued are unclear, Hylton said. He said the victim left the scene of the gunfire but soon called 911, and paramedics took her to a local hospital for treatment of a wound that was not considered life-threatening.

According to Hylton, French abandoned the pickup truck and ran away. He later was caught nearby after running up a hill, where a sheriff's helicopter pilot discovered him.