People v. Velyines CA5

FACTS

In the early morning hours of July 27, 2012, Jourdaine Correia was driving a car containing Jalissa Johnson and Dominique Steele from Visalia to Hanford. Correia stopped in Visalia at a 7-11 convenience store on the corner of Mooney Boulevard and

1Unless otherwise specified, all statutory references are to the Penal Code.

2. Tulare Avenue to purchase cigarettes and, while she was parked, a Mercedes driven by Velyines, with McCormick in the passenger seat, pulled into the stall alongside Correia’s car. Upon observing the Mercedes, Johnson, who was in the passenger seat of Correia’s car, immediately crawled over the center console and hid in the backseat. Johnson told Correia to drive away because Johnson’s pimp was driving the Mercedes. Correia drove off, but defendants followed in the Mercedes. Correia attempted to elude them by driving through the city streets at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour, but the Mercedes maintained pursuit. Correia then entered onto State Route 198, where she increased her speed to over 100 miles per hour, but Velyines continued to follow at a distance of only a few feet. Eventually, Correia felt a bump and heard a gunshot, at which time her…