3 men arrested on attempted murder charges in Kings County

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Three men from San Luis Obispo County were arrested Wednesday afternoon after, deputies say, they shot a man in an argument over a motorcycle.

A witness told Kings County Sheriff's deputies three suspects parked in front of the victim's home at the 8500 block of Lacey Boulevard. Two of them got out of their truck and approached a motorcycle parked on the street in front of the home. The witness said the men told him they had purchased the motorcycle earlier in the day and were there to pick it up. The witness told the men they had not sold the motorcycle, and an argument ensued.

During the argument, the victim came out of the house and was shot by one of the suspects in the stomach.

Witnesses told investigators the suspects then jumped back into their pickup truck and tried to leave the scene. One of the witnesses pulled his car in front of the suspects, but the suspects hit their car and were eventually able to flee the scene.

A short time later, Lemoore Police located the suspect's vehicle near Highway 198 and Houston Avenue and pulled them over. Investigators said witnesses were able to identify two of the three suspects taken into custody. The two suspects are identified as Benjamin Walter Ramage, 33, and Scott William Penner, 33. A third suspect, 52-year-old Thomas Nolan Yanaga, the owner of the suspect vehicle, was also taken into custody. When investigators searched the vehicle, they found three handguns, including a 9mm gun that was believed to be used in the shooting. Yanaga is out on bail as the suspect in a homicide investigation in San Luis Obispo County earlier this year.

All three suspects were booked into the Kings County Jail on charges of attempted homicide and firearms related charges. Penner and Ramage were additionally charged with being known felons in possession of a firearm. Yanaga had additional charges of committing a felony while out on bail.

The victim was taken to a local hospital. He underwent emergency surgery and is expected to recover.