By Larry Welborn Register
The Orange County Register
SANTA ANA — A Santa Ana man with two prior felony convictions was sentenced Monday to 13 years in prison for intentionally crashing his car into a Sheriff’s Department patrol car that was stopped at a red light.
David Araujo Reyes, 28, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault on a peace officer and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, according to prosecutors.
Reyes, who had convictions for robbery and street terrorism, never said why he intentionally crashed into the marked patrol car, prosecutors said.
On March 14, 2010, Reyes was making a left turn from eastbound First Street onto Flower Street on a green arrow when he sharply turned his steering wheel, accelerated and aimed at the patrol car, which was idling at the red light in the opposing lanes of traffic, prosecutors said. Reyes did not hit his brakes before his vehicle crashed into the patrol car.
The incident - less than a mile from the Orange County Jail, was captured on the patrol vehicle’s video recorder.
Immediately after the crash, Reyes got out of his car and surrendered. In a search of his car, police found a bag of bullets, which is prohibited based on his prior convictions.
Copyright 2012 Orange County Register