| For Immediate Release July 13, 2006 |
Contact: | Susan Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel (714) 347-8408 Office (714) 323-4486 Cell |
OCDA CHARGES LONG BEACH MAN WITH TRANSPORTING STOLEN STOVE AND MURDERING SHERIFF’S DEPUTY ON 91 FREEWAY
FULLERTON – A Long Beach man was charged with transporting a stolen stove on the freeway and murdering a law enforcement officer who swerved to miss the stove. Cole Allen Wilkins, 30, was charged with murdering an on duty Los Angeles Sheriff‘s Deputy David Piquette and with felony receipt of a stolen stove. If convicted, Wilkins could be sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison. Wilkins was in court today and will appear in court on July 20, 2006, for arraignment at the North Justice Center in Fullerton. He is being held on $1 million bail.
On July 7, 2006, at about 5 a.m., several people driving on the 91 Freeway just west of Tustin Avenue in the city of Anaheim called 9-1-1 about a stove obstructing the westbound #1 lane. A few minutes later, Deputy Piquette was forced to suddenly swerve in his unmarked County vehicle to miss the stove. Consequently, a collision occurred involving a Mack cement truck and he was killed. As a result of an intense investigation by the California Highway Patrol, the suspect was identified, located and arrested.
The defendant is accused of driving a Ford truck with stolen appliances in the back. He is accused of not securing the stolen appliance, allowing a full sized stove to fall on the freeway, refusing to stop after he knew it had blocked the lanes and speeding away. He is accused of lying about his true name and identity regarding ownership of the truck. He is accused of failing to return to the collision scene.
Deputy Piquette was a 10-year veteran of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. He is the father of 3-year-old twins.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Larry Yellin of the Homicide Unit will be prosecuting the case. Anyone with information about this case should contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Ed Contreras at 714-347-8492. The California Highway Patrol office in Santa Ana is also continuing to investigate this case.
###