Attempted murder charge dropped in plea deal
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EVANSTON — Local Evanston man George Andrews was sentenced to 7-10 years in prison last week after changing his plea to no contest to a charge of aggravated assault and battery related to a shooting incident that occurred in May 2020.
Andrews was arrested on May 20, after shooting fellow Evanston man Byron Pinegar in the abdomen during an argument that occurred at a Sage Street home. A police report at the time detailed a lengthy history of disagreements between the two men and Andrews reportedly repeatedly told responding officers he had taken the situation into his own hands because he was “tired of getting his ass beat” by Pinegar.
During his appearance in Third District Court on Thursday, Oct. 22, Uinta County Attorney Loretta Howieson-Kallas and District Court Judge Joseph Bluemel both referenced the lengthy history between the two men while discussing the plea agreement reached among Howieson-Kallas’s office, Andrews and his attorney, public defender Kent Brown.
As a result of that agreement, Andrews agreed to change his plea to guilty or no contest to the aggravated assault and battery charge and the county attorney’s office recommended a sentence of 7-10 years and agreed to drop an additional count of attempted first-degree murder.
Howieson-Kallas spoke in favor of the plea agreement, saying the substantial period of incarceration was appropriate given the extent of Pinegar’s injuries, his lengthy hospitalization and the likelihood of further surgeries and life-changing physical conditions. She said Andrews would be in his early to mid-60s by the time he is eligible for parole. Brown also spoke in favor of the plea agreement, while again referencing the lengthy history of conflict between the two men.
Bluemel accepted the agreement and said the sentence would serve all the purposes of incarceration, setting an example and serving as a deterrent to those who may be considering “taking the law into their own hands.”
Andrews was given credit for 156 days already served since his arrest and was also ordered to pay approximately $270 in restitution for medical expenses not already covered by Medicaid.
