People v. Santanabollas CA4/2

I. INTRODUCTION

Defendant Javier Santanabollas was convicted by a jury of one count of felony

evading a police officer (Veh. Code, § 2800.2, count 1); one count of possession of

burglary tools (Pen. Code, § 466, count 4); and one count of petty theft (Pen. Code,

§ 488, count 3), arising out of an October 19, 2019, incident involving a vehicle pursuit

by police. In a bifurcated proceeding, defendant also admitted he suffered a prior strike

offense. (Pen. Code, §§ 667, subds. (c), (e)(1), 1170.12, subd. (c)(1).) Defendant was

sentenced to an aggregate term of six years in state prison, representing the aggravated

term of three years, doubled for his prior strike offense in count 1 and concurrent terms of

180 days on counts 3 and 4.

On appeal, defendant argues the judgment should be reversed because (1) the trial

court erred in permitting the prosecution to present evidence of two prior vehicle pursuits

involving defendant pursuant to Evidence Code1 section 1101, subdivision (b), and

(2) the trial court erred in permitting the prosecution to present evidence of the

convictions arising out of these prior incidents for the purpose of impeachment. We find

no error in the…