Oroville >> Former Paradise police officer Patrick Feaster was arraigned Wednesday in Butte County Superior Court on a charge of manslaughter, more than two months after he shot an unarmed man suspected of drunken driving.

Feaster, 31, appeared in Judge James Reilley’s court at 8:30 a.m., after District Attorney Mike Ramsey decided to bring manslaughter charges against the former officer. Feaster was charged with a single felony count of involuntary manslaughter while armed.

Feaster, dressed in a dark-colored suit, did not enter a plea.

The charges come two days after Paradise Police Chief Gabriela Tazzari-Dineen announced Feaster was no longer on the payroll. The chief said she couldn’t say whether Feaster was fired because of state law outlined by the Peace Officers’ Bill of Rights.

When asked by a reporter whether Feaster quit or was fired, Ramsey said only that Feaster did not resign.

Feaster shot Andrew Thomas, 26, just before midnight on Thanksgiving eve. Thomas was shot as he exited a vehicle after a rollover accident on Pearson Road that killed his estranged wife, Darien Ehorn, 23, of Paradise.

Feaster was booked and released Wednesday from Butte County Jail. He remains out of custody, released on his own recognizance. He is next scheduled to appear in court Feb. 24, when he could enter a plea.

Feaster’s attorney, Brett Sherman, did not comment.

The charge of involuntary manslaughter carries a maximum penalty of four years in county jail, a change from state prison as a result of the prison reform bill Assembly Bill 109. The additional allegation of being armed with a firearm carries the potential of an additional year in custody.

Ramsey announced at a Dec. 10 press conference that he would not seek criminal charges against Feaster because investigators determined that the shooting, while possibly negligent, was “not criminally so.” Feaster told a supervisor at the scene of the wreck that his .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol accidentally fired.

At that same press conference, Ramsey said that had Thomas been killed, the claim Feaster didn’t mean to shoot him would not necessarily be a defense.

Then on Dec. 19, Thomas died at Enloe Medical Center in Chico. Ramsey had said in light of Thomas’ death, he would re-examine potential manslaughter charges against Feaster.

That investigation, Ramsey said, hinged partly on Thomas’ autopsy report.

Outside of court Wednesday, Ramsey said an autopsy showed Thomas died from complications stemming from the gunshot wound to his spine.

Ramsey added no other significant injuries from the rollover crash led to Thomas’ death.

Dashboard and body camera video of the shooting showed Feaster did not notify his supervisor that he had fired his weapon until 11 minutes after the fact.

Medical personnel and first responders said Feaster’s 11-minute lapse did not result in additional injury to Thomas or contribute to a delay of medical help, according to a press release issued Wednesday by the District Attorney’s Office. It did, however, factor into the Paradise Police Department’s internal investigation.

Since the shooting, protests have been held outside the Paradise Police Department and District Attorney’s Office. Protesters had called for Feaster’s firing, as well as Ramsey’s job.

Ramsey said protesters, before Thomas had died, were well-meaning but confused about the law.

“We showed them what the law was,” Ramsey said. “From an emotional standpoint, prior to Mr. Thomas dying, they still wanted something done.”

Ramsey said public pressure that followed Thomas’ death played no role in his charging decision. He said the decision to charge Feaster was reached about a week ago, after prosecutors received forensic and legal reports, in addition to Thomas’ autopsy report.

“Most likely, he would be alive if he was not shot by officer Feaster,” Ramsey said.

Joshua Turner, who has organized protests and was a friend of Thomas’, said he believes demonstrators helped bring action against Feaster.

“I’m very happy,” Turner said. “Everybody involved with the protest is happy.”

Demonstrators intend to organize a celebratory event soon and plan to attend future court proceedings in Feaster’s case, he said.

Community members, however, remain unsatisfied with Ramsey, Turner said. The next step, he said, is to continue efforts to recall the district attorney. If that fails, it’s hoped someone will challenge Ramsey should he decide to run for re-election.

Ramsey has been Butte County’s district attorney since 1987.

“We just hope that this starts the domino effect across the nation,” Turner said, “of having cops being held accountable for their crimes.”

Contact reporter Andre Byik at 896-7760.