ADULT-STORE SHOOTING SUSPECT STILL IN HOSPITAL UNDER GUARD.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

SAUGUS - Robert Wheeler, the man accused of shooting three people - one fatally - on New Year's Day, then turning his gun on himself, was responding Monday to treatment at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, where he remains under guard.

Wheeler, 25, is suspected of killing Christopher Ray Simons, who was working at Santa Clarita Adult Gifts on Bouquet Canyon Road. He then shot a man going through a trash container at Haskell Canyon Road and Bouquet Canyon Road and a Saugus resident whose home he tried to break into, sheriff's officials said.

Wheeler called Santa Clarita Valley sheriff's deputies and confessed to two of the shootings shortly after midnight Saturday, according to a report. When deputies attempted to approach Wheeler, he ran from the phone booth on Pico Canyon Road into his van, where he shot himself in the head. His condition was listed as critical in the 24 hours after the shooting, but improved Monday. He was expected to survive his injuries, officials said.

Al Stearns, the resident, and the other victim were in good condition.

Homicide detectives have not formally arrested Wheeler.

``We still haven't had a chance to talk with him,'' said sheriff's Detective Donna Cheek. ``It all depends on his medical condition, when he can be transferred.''

Cheek also said little was known about Wheeler, other than he is a Washington state resident who was visiting relatives in Canyon Country.

``The other victims have told us what they can,'' she said. ``But we still have no idea why any of this happened.''

Stearns and his wife heard noises coming from the rear of their Shadow Valley Lane home at approximately 10 p.m. Saturday. Upon investigation, Stearns, seeing a shadow moving away from the sliding glass door, called 911. While he had deputies on the phone, Stearns went outside to get the license number of the intruder's vehicle.

``He started to pull down the driveway, and I was about two feet from his back license plate, shouting the numbers into the phone when he heard me,'' Stearns said. ``He stopped and got out with what looked like a shotgun. We were bobbing and weaving around a pickup truck at the bottom of the hill, and I knew he was going to shoot me. I figured the only way I could survive a shotgun blast was to get as far away as I could, so I ran up the driveway.

``My wife was standing at the window watching, and I got shot in the back. Thank God, the guy left; with what we know now, he could have just decided it would go another way. When people ask, I just tell them my new year started with a bang.''

Stearns was taken by ambulance to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital about 10:30 p.m. About two hours later, Stearns saw his attacker again when Wheeler was brought in and treated in the cubicle next to his, he said.

Carol Rock, [phone]

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com