People v. Partington CA4/2

FACTS

A white 1999 Toyota RAV4 with Texas license plates was stolen twice from an

apartment complex over two days in September 2019. The car was easy to steal because

the driver’s side window did not close completely, and a key was broken off in the

ignition. The second time the owner reported the car stolen, the police put the car in the

stolen vehicle database.

2 At 12:19 p.m. on September 12, 2019, a police officer heard from dispatch that the

RAV4 had been seen unoccupied and parked on Ocotillo Road. While officers were

heading for the vehicle, another report came in that someone, later determined to be

appellant and defendant Daniel Adam Partington, was driving the car south on Ocotillo

Road. Officers found and followed the car in two patrol cars and confirmed it was the

stolen vehicle.

With two patrol cars behind him, Partington signaled to make a right turn onto

Palm Drive. A detective driving an unmarked red Ford Fusion pulled in front of the

RAV4 to block it. Partington maneuvered his way free, struck the Ford Fusion, and

turned right onto Palm Drive, which is a major road through a commercial district. At the

time of day these events happened, traffic is…