TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas -- The trial for the man accused of shooting Travis County District Judge Julie Kocurek in November 2015 began Monday.
On Nov. 6, 2015, Kocurek was returning home from a high school football game and looking at Christmas lights with her family when a shooter approached her car and shot at her. The judge was in the hospital for nearly two months following the attack.
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Thirty-year-old Chimene Onyeri has been accused of running an illegal money-making operation and trying to kill Kocurek because he thought she would send him to prison and terminate the operation. Two other suspects -- Marcellus Burgin and Rasul Scott -- have also been indicted on federal charges in connection to the attack.
Kocurek's son, Will Kocurek, took the stand Monday. He was just 15-years-old at the time of the shooting. He told the jury that he was driving his mom's car that Friday night in November 2015 while she was in the passenger seat.
Kocurek told the jury that as he pulled into his family's driveway, there was a paper leaf bag blocking the gate. As he got out to move it, he said he saw someone dressed in all black starting to run toward him.
He testified that he ran over to the passenger side of the car where his mom was, while the attacker ran to the driver's side. Kocurek said the person fired four to five shots through the window, and then ran away.
Lawyers said the bullets fell apart when they went through the window, causing shrapnel and glass to hit Kocurek's face, neck and head.
"I thought there was no way she was going to be alive," said Will. "There was blood everywhere."
The jury also heard the 9-1-1 call Kourek made, where he continued to tell emergency crews to "please hurry."
Onyeri faces a 17-count indictment in Austin's federal court and will face up to life in prison if he is found guilty of attempting to kill Kocurek. Onyeri has been charged with one count of a charge related to racketeering and mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud, seven counts of aggravated identity theft and six counts of tampering with a witness.
Judge Julie Kocurek is expected to testify.
The judge in this case expects the trial to last six to eight weeks.
Follow reporter Christy Millweard for updates from the courtroom: