A man was arrested recently after allegedly committing a carjacking and then getting into a chase with Santa Ana police, The Orange County Register is reporting.
Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Vincent Howard will always advise clients not to get into a high-speed chase with police. For some reason, these chases are often glorified by the news media and that somehow lends credence to the idea that it's smart. It's not. You are just asking for the police to pile on charges.
Whether a person may face Los Angeles car theft charges or major Orange County drug charges, it's not reason to run from law enforcement. Running or driving away at high speeds makes a bad situation even worse.
It is a better move to get arrested and immediately call an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer, such as Vincent Howard, than to try to get away. For one, it likely won't work. Secondly, it will add more charges to what the person already faces and third, it can cause people major injury or death. That includes bystanders and the suspects themselves. It's not worth it.
In this case, according to the newspaper, police got a call of shots fired from what witnesses said was an automatic weapon. An officer spotted a vehicle that had the same license plate of a vehicle reported stolen by two armed men a day earlier.
When the officer tried to stop the vehicle, the driver took off, leading to a pursuit. It only lasted a few minutes because the driver crashed near Santa Ana and Tustin. The officer also shot at the suspects with a shotgun, though police are saying it's unclear why that was the case.
Police said that the 20-year-old suspect surrendered immediately. Inside a vehicle officers found a machine pistol. The vehicle was taken in the carjacking just a day earlier when a man got lost and stopped to ask for directions at a bar in Santa Ana. Two men ordered him out of the car and took it. The 20-year-old now faces charges of suspicion of carjacking, evading police and possession of a firearm.
Police believe a second man who was involved with the carjacking is still on the loose. That man, about the same age, is being pursued by police, the news article states.
In carjacking cases, police must have sound proof before bringing charges. That's because victims of violent crimes or crimes that can be terrifying often don't leave very clear memories of the person who is involved.
They are often told to put their heads down or they do it on their own as not to anger the perpetrator. Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer Vincent Howard has seen cases where witnesses have very little information to help police, yet are somehow able to point to a person in a photo lineup to provide police with a suspect.
The actions that police take in cases where the witnesses are shaky becomes very important. If officers suggest certain suspects or show the victim the suspect, that suggests to the person that police have gotten the right person, even if it's not the right person. Police and victims yearn for an arrest, but they shouldn't want the wrong person to be arrested.
Often, the wrong person is arrested, however. Criminal defense lawyers are trained to figure out when the wrong arrest is made and when police have violated a defendant's rights. This injustice shouldn't happen, but it does. Don't allow it to happen to you.
If you or a loved one would like to speak to a criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles or in any of the surrounding areas, contact HOWARD LAW PC for a confidential appointment to discuss your rights. Call 1-800-872-5925.
More Blog Entries:
Man Charged With DUI, Theft in Orange County After Chase: January 25, 2012
Additional Resources:
Man arrested after chase, officer-involved shooting, by Denisse Salazar, The Orange County Register
