People v. Hubert CA3

FACTS AND PROCEEDINGS

On April 3, 2012, Jonathan Flores found his white Oldsmobile was not in its usual parking spot at his Woodland apartment complex. A police officer spotted defendant

1 driving the stolen car on April 7, 2012. When the officer started to follow him, defendant accelerated rapidly and ran a red light, almost hitting a truck. The officer broke off pursuit when defendant reached a speed of about 100 miles per hour. The officer continued in the same direction defendant drove, and found the Oldsmobile crashed into the front yard of a house, damaging a city water main and a pole. Defendant tried to run away, but was caught by the officer and a police dog. Upon being searched, defendant was found to possess methamphetamine. He said that he had bought the vehicle “for a couple hundred dollars” from a person named “Slick” and had received a pink slip recording the transaction. Defendant could not produce the pink slip. A jury convicted defendant of three misdemeanor offenses, reckless driving, hit- and-run with property damage, and resisting or obstructing a peace officer, acquitted him of transportation of a controlled substance, and could not reach a verdict on…