A 47-year-old man, fleeing from Lengthy Seashore police in a reported stolen van, was touring almost 70 mph when he slammed into an SUV within the Bluff Heights neighborhood of Lengthy Seashore 4 years in the past, killing a girl and 5 of six canine she was shuttling, a prosecutor advised a jury throughout opening statements in his trial on Wednesday, Might 10.
Javier Olivarez Jr. of Los Angeles is charged with homicide, fleeing a pursuing peace officer’s motorized vehicle inflicting loss of life, driving or taking a car with out consent and 6 counts of animal cruelty in reference to the Might 7, 2019, crash at Third Avenue and Temple Avenue.
Olivarez was initially charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, however a few weeks after the collision prosecutors upped the cost to homicide, Deputy District Lawyer Karen Brako mentioned.
Brako advised Lengthy Seashore Superior Courtroom jurors that they'd hear from a Lengthy Seashore police detective that crash knowledge taken from the van Olivarez was driving confirmed he was touring 68 mph with no utility of the brake pedal a second earlier than he slammed right into a Ford Escape pushed by 41-year-old Jessica Bingaman, who was shuttling six canine as a part of her canine day care service, The Pawtenders.
Apart from Bingaman, additionally killed had been:
- Sasha, a yellow Labrador
- Indy, a chocolate and grey Labrador
- Maggie Moo, a Portuguese water canine
- Scout, a German shepherd
- Toots, a pitbull combine
Bella, an Ibizen hound, survived however was severely injured.
Olivarez, carrying a dark-blue plaid shirt, black pants and thick-framed glasses, appeared on as Brako advised the jury Olivarez was going eastbound on Third and blew by way of a cease signal, slamming into the motive force’s facet of Bingaman’s SUV.
4 parked vehicles absorbed injury in the course of the crash, which compelled a tire to fly off of Bingaman’s SUV and injury a close-by concrete wall, Brako mentioned.
Brako confirmed a photograph of the within of Bingaman’s SUV, with the motive force’s seat pushed into the passenger facet. The world the place the crash occurred has a posted 25-mph signal, Brako mentioned.
Olivarez was taken into custody and hospitalized for remedy of his accidents earlier than being booked into jail.
Olivarez’ legal professional, Efren Navar, in a quick opening assertion advised the jury that Olivarez had no intention of killing anybody the day and requested the jury to “not make up your thoughts in the course of trial.”
Olivarez had stolen the Nissan van from LAX Van within the 3200 block of Cherry Avenue someday after it had been returned on Might 5, 2019, Brako advised the jury. It was final seen by an worker about 1 p.m. that day, with the important thing left in a drop field.
An worker reported the van as stolen.
Almost two full days later, Lengthy Seashore Officer Maxwell Schroeder noticed the van parked at Second Avenue and Alamitos Avenue close to the Vagabond Lodge, Brako mentioned. Schroeder started following the van after it began shifting.
He briefly overlooked it however noticed it once more, turning eastbound onto Broadway, and activated his lights and sirens, Brako mentioned. In the course of the two-to-three minute pursuit, Olivarez is accused of touring upward of fifty miles per hour, ignoring at the least two cease indicators.
Teri Lyn Miller, who lives close to the intersection, testified that she was in her upstairs condominium speaking along with her husband, who was of their driveway, when she noticed a white blur cross eastbound within the westbound lane of Third Avenue. Shortly after, she heard a “horrific, very loud metallic influence,” she mentioned.
She noticed police automobiles arrive. She estimated the white van was touring at “freeway pace.”
Brako mentioned jurors can even hear from a toxicology professional who will inform them Olivarez had amphetamine and methamphetamine in his system.
“After listening to all of the proof, I’m assured you can find this defendant responsible of all crimes alleged on this case,” Brako mentioned.
Prosecutors additionally plan to current body-worn digital camera footage from the pursuit and the aftermath. The trial was anticipated to take till the top of subsequent week Brako mentioned.
Olivarez had prior convictions for unlawfully planting or cultivating marijuana in 2002, second-degree theft in 2007 and receiving stolen property in 2014, Lengthy Seashore police have mentioned.
Bingaman left behind a daughter and was well-known within the neighborhood. About 100 individuals, together with Lengthy Seashore officers and Councilwoman Suzie Worth, attended a candlelight vigil for her.