Woman caught on camera shooting man is sentenced to 18 years in prison

Reporting from Vista — A 64-year-old woman caught on video as she shot her sister’s neighbor last summer in a dispute over property access has been sentenced to 18 years in state prison.

The victim, Tom Wessels, 66, pulled out his GoPro video camera when he encountered Alyce Ann Copeland sitting in a folding chair in the middle of the disputed access road just after 4 p.m. July 10.

Wessels was recording as he confronted a still-seated Copeland, who whipped out a gun and pulled the trigger just a few feet from him.

The bullet ripped into Wessels’ gut and tore out of his side. He kept recording as Copeland pointed the gun at his wife, Kathy, and pulled the trigger — but the gun jammed. Wessels grabbed it, pistol-whipped Copeland and fled with his wife.

Last month, Copeland pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder in exchange for a sentence between 16 and 20 years in prison. On Thursday, Vista Superior Court Judge Carlos Armour followed the Probation Department’s recommendation and handed Copeland 18 years.

Wessels, who now uses a cane, was unable to attend the hearing, so Deputy Dist. Atty. Cal Logan read his statement.

“When people hear the story they say ‘How crazy is that?’ ” Wessels said in the statement, which was directed at Copeland. “I have to remind them there is crazy and there is evil. You aren’t crazy.

“I forgive you for trying to kill me,” he said. “I will not, I cannot, forgive you for trying to kill Kathy.”

Copeland did not speak during the hearing.

At the time of the encounter, access on the road was at the center of a contentious legal battle between the neighbors.

Wessels had had a previous run-in with Copeland about another road-blocking move. So when he drove down the road to find her blocking it, Wessels grabbed his camera, he testified in December at Copeland’s preliminary hearing.

The footage from Wessels’ GoPro was not played in court, but pictures from the video were presented — including an image in which Copeland, who was seated, is pointing the weapon at the camera when the gun muzzle flashed.

Logan said Friday that the videotape was “very compelling evidence, and [it] helped establish that the victims in no way caused any of this to happen.”