People v. Williams

Appellant Lawrence Williams was convicted by a jury of second degree burglary of a vehicle (Pen. Code, § 459), and admitted a prior 1994 robbery conviction (Pen. Code, §§ 1170.12, subds. (a)-(d), 667, subds. (b)-(i)). He was sentenced to a total prison term of six years. We affirm.

Facts

On the morning of October 7, 1995, Dinh Van Tran parked his 1989 Toyota Corolla in its assigned space inside the parking garage of his apartment complex. Tran locked the car and went up to his apartment. Later that morning, Gardena Police Officer Dwayne Taylor was on patrol in his marked police car when he went to Tran’s apartment complex in response to a call. Officer Taylor parked his patrol car outside the parking garage, which was closed and required for entry a remote control gate opener.

When Officer Taylor walked to the pedestrian gate of the garage, he observed appellant sitting in the front passenger seat of a gold Toyota parked inside the garage. Appellant reached into the glove compartment, removed some papers, and sifted through them. The officer then yelled at appellant to open the gate. Appellant walked over to the gate and opened it for the officer, who asked appellant…