A truck driver who police said almost ran over an officer in Palo Alto last Thursday night before speeding away through the residential streets was arrested hours later in San Jose.
Police said Robert Angelo Ayala, 52, was pulled over by an officer on El Camino Real, just south of Hansen Way, shortly after 8 p.m. for a vehicle-code violation. After checking his ID, the officer learned that Ayala was on active probation for narcotics possession and resisting arrest, police said. Ayala, who was driving a 1996 Dodge Ram pickup trick, also allegedly showed symptoms of being under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
After a second officer arrived at the scene, the officer who pulled Ayala over asked him to step out of the car so that they could conduct a probation search and a DUI investigation. At that point, Ayala allegedly accelerated, took off at what police said was a "high rate of speed," and nearly hit the second officer, who had been standing near the passenger door and who jumped back to avoid having the truck run over his feet.
Police said Ayala, a San Jose resident, then sped off north on El Camino Real, ultimately turning east on Embarcadero Road and turning onto residential streets. Once his speed reached 60 mph, police stopped chasing him out of concern for public safety, police said in a press release. The truck was last seen heading north on Waverley Street and turning east on Hamilton Avenue, police said.
Over the next few hours, a police investigated Ayala and ultimately located him at a private residence in the 500 block of North 21st Street in San Jose. Just before 1 a.m. Friday, San Jose Police Department officers took Ayala into custody, police said. They then turned him over to the Palo Alto police.
Ayala was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail and charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon for nearly striking the officer with his truck. He also faces charges of felony evading, driving under the influence and driving on a suspended driver license. He is also being charged with violating his probation, police said.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 650-329-2413, email tips to paloalto@tipnow.org or text them to 650-383-8984. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the department's mobile app, downloadable at bit.ly/PAPD-AppStore.
Comments
Crescent Park
on Sep 3, 2015 at 9:11 am
on Sep 3, 2015 at 9:11 am
From People v Robert Angelo Ayala 26 Feb '14 [ www.courts.ca.gov/opinions/nonpub/H040092.DOC ]:
"In August 2013, pursuant to a negotiated plea under which he would receive a maximum 32-month sentence, defendant Robert Angelo Ayala pleaded no contest to possession of a controlled substance, phencyclidine, a felony (Health & Saf. Code, § 11377, subd. (a)), possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor (Health & Saf. Code, § 11364.1), and resisting, delaying or obstructing a peace officer, a misdemeanor (Pen. Code, § 148, subd. (a)). He also admitted all enhancements alleged in the information, namely, allegations that he had two prior strike convictions and had three prison prior convictions. The court exercised its discretion to strike both of the prior strike allegations pursuant to People v. Superior Court (Romero) (1996) 13 Cal.4th 497 (Romero) and struck two of the prison prior allegations. It imposed a suspended sentence of 32 months and placed defendant on probation for five years. Defendant filed a timely appeal. We will affirm.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
On the afternoon of June 25, 2012, San José Police Officer Bryan Tran responded to a reported disturbance in the parking lot of a California Check Cashing business. It was reported that a Hispanic male had a gun which he had placed in his back pocket, and that he had entered a green truck. Officer Tran saw a green truck leaving the lot with a Hispanic male behind the wheel. Officer Tran identified that person in court as defendant. Officer Tran initiated a traffic stop, using his red lights and siren; the truck pulled off to the side of the road. As Officer Tran and a backup officer, Officer Martinez, approached the truck on foot, it sped away. (The truck had stopped for approximately 30 to 45 seconds.) Officers Tran and Martinez then followed the truck in their separate patrol vehicles. The officers did not use their lights and sirens in following defendant, because of department policy about the dangers of patrol car pursuits of vehicles. The truck was travelling at approximately 45 miles per hour in a 25 mile per hour zone; Officer Tran also observed defendant run a stop sign. The truck stopped about one mile from the original scene. The officers “initiated a felony car stop and ordered the suspect out of the vehicle.” After defendant got out of the truck, he was taken into custody.
After identifying the driver, Officers Tran and Martinez obtained information on his status by radio: Defendant had a suspended license and was on probation and therefore “searchable.” Another officer, Officer Rapp, conducted a search of defendant’s truck; he found a glass smoking pipe and three leños (marijuana cigarettes laced with PCP).
PROCEDURAL HISTORY
Defendant was charged by information filed April 12, 2013, with possession of a controlled substance, phencyclidine, a felony (Health & Saf. Code, § 11377, subd. (a)); possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor (Health & Saf. Code, § 11364.1); and resisting, delaying or obstructing a peace officer, a misdemeanor (§ 148, subd. (a)). It was alleged in the information that defendant had previously been convicted of two violent or serious felonies, i.e., strike offenses (§§ 667, subds. (b)-(i); 1170.12), namely, assault with a deadly weapon with personal infliction of great bodily injury (§§ 245, subd. (a)(1), 12022.7, subd. (a)), and robbery (§§ 211-212.5, subd. (c)). It was further alleged that defendant had been convicted of three felonies, each of which resulted in his having served a prison term, and he had not remained free of prison custody (or the imposition of a term of jail custody) for a period of five years (§ 667.5, subd. (b); prison priors).
"
Registered user
Midtown
on Sep 3, 2015 at 4:08 pm
Registered user
on Sep 3, 2015 at 4:08 pm
Good job by the PDs involved.