People v. Medel CA2/5

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

I. Facts

In mid-January 2023, South Gate Police Department Officer Georgina Vargas activated her lights and siren to induce a white Ford van to pull over. Officer Vargas saw defendant driving the van. The van had been stolen four weeks earlier. Defendant slowed down and appeared to be pulling the van over. After Officer Vargas pulled up behind the van, defendant punched the accelerator and took off at high speed. Officer Vargas gave chase, with lights flashing and sirens blaring. Defendant blew through 11 stop signs and drove at speeds well in excess of the speed limit. In light of defendant’s dangerous driving, Officer Vargas broke off her pursuit, but not before transmitting the van’s rear license plate number.

2 Just minutes later, South Gate Police Department Officer Victoria Lopez saw a white van with its lights off roll to a stop in an alleyway close to where Officer Vargas ended her pursuit. From inside her patrol car, Officer Lopez watched defendant stand at the rear of the van and try to bend its license plate. When Officer Lopez got out of the car, defendant ran off. He sprinted to a nearby mechanic’s shop and tried to get into its…