On Nov. 24, 2023, a suspect resisted arrest and led police on a high-speed chase that resulted in the eventual death of a bystander. The suspect was eventually arrested and charged with felony resisting arrest with great bodily injury. However, he was released on O.R. on Dec. 27th, 2023. No official reason was given for his release on O.R. The same suspect was scheduled to be in court on Monday the 22nd of January, 2024. Believe it or not, he decided not to show up.
The whole thing began on Nov. 24th last year when police noticed that the suspect was driving a stolen vehicle. The police signaled for a stop but, not wanting to be caught, the suspect sped off. A high-speed chase ensued that ended on the corner of Artesia Blvd. and Long Beach Blvd. when the suspect collided with a truck. The driver of the truck, P. Barrera, was seriously injured and died in the hospital six weeks later.
The charges the suspect is facing are serious. California Vehicle Code 2800.3VC makes it illegal to evade a police officer while driving a vehicle, and either serious injury or death occurs to someone else as a result of your evasion. The crime can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony, with different punishments. For misdemeanor violations, the punishments include up to 1 year in county jail. If charged as a felony, as in this case, the penalties include 3, 5, or 7 years in California State prison.
Facing penalties like these, it isn’t hard to see why someone would flee – particularly since, without posting bail for release, the suspect faces zero incentive to return to court. Of course he could always wind up being caught, but that’s not guaranteed. Ultimately, police must now hunt him down (instead of a bail bondsman having to do so) because the suspect was released on O.R. without bail.
