| For Immediate Release Case # 10CF0606 June 11, 2012 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami
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THIRD STRIKER SENTENCED TO 13 YEARS IN PRISON FOR ASSAULT ON SHERIFF’S DEPUTY BY INTENTIONALLY CRASHING INTO MARKED PATROL CAR
*Incident captured on patrol car video recorder
SANTA ANA – A third striker was sentenced today to 13 years in state prison for assaulting an Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) deputy by intentionally crashing into his marked patrol car. David Araujo Reyes, 28, Santa Ana, pleaded guilty to a court offer to one felony count of aggravated assault on a peace officer and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person. He has two prior strike convictions from 2002 for robbery and street terrorism. Based on this conviction, the defendant’s driver’s license will be permanently revoked by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
At approximately 10:00 a.m. on March 14, 2010, Reyes was driving eastbound on 1st Street in Santa Ana. A marked OCSD patrol car was stopped at a red light on westbound 1st Street at the intersection at Flower Street.
The defendant reached the intersection and began to turn left onto Flower Street on a green turn arrow. Upon seeing the OCSD patrol car as he passed, Reyes sharply turned his steering wheel, quickly changed the direction of his car, and accelerated into the patrol car with the intention of assaulting the deputy driver. Reyes did not hit his brakes and crashed directly into the patrol car. The assault was captured on the patrol vehicle’s video recorder.
Immediately after the crash, Reyes exited his vehicle and surrendered. He was arrested at the scene. In a subsequent search of the defendant’s vehicle, Reyes was found to be in possession of a bag of bullets, which is prohibited based on his prior convictions.
Deputy District Attorney Brock Zimmon of the Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted this case.
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