Mendocino man beaten with shovel accused of attempted murder

Officials say Harry Miller shot his Anchor Bay neighbor, who then beat him with a shovel|
KEVIN MCCALLUM
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

The Mendocino man accused of shooting his neighbor in a dispute over a shared driveway in their small coastal town was booked Thursday on suspicion of two counts of attempted murder.

Harry William Miller, 69, of Anchor Bay, was released from a hospital Thursday to the custody of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office. Miller had been treated at the facility for wounds he suffered during the altercation with neighbor, Paul Palestrini, 62.

After Miller shot Palestrini “without provocation,” Palestrini managed to severely beat Miller with a shovel, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office. Miller was booked into Mendocino County Jail on $750,000 bail Thursday afternoon on two counts of attempted murder and using a firearm in the commission of a serious felony.

The second attempt murder charge stems from an accusation that Miller also tried to shoot Palestrini’s wife, Desiree Palestrini, 35.

Jail records show Miller was released hours later after posting bail.

Palestrini was shot in the torso and suffered life-threatening injuries. He remains in critical condition at a Sonoma County hospital.

-Kevin McCallum

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