A convicted burglar was charged Thursday with multiple felonies related to a wild, hourlong chase through Santa Ana that included the suspect allegedly ramming a police car before driving through a playground crowds of pedestrians.
David Humberto Aguilar, 26, was charged with assault with a weapon on a police officer, theft with a prior felony conviction for car theft, receiving a stolen vehicle with a prior felony conviction, leading police on a chase with reckless driving and driving in the opposite lane of traffic, all felonies.
He also was charged with misdemeanor counts of reckless driving, driving under the influence of drugs, hit and run with property damage and driving with a revoked or suspended license.
About 1:40 p.m. Tuesday, a police sergeant sees a suspicious vehicle which was reported stolen so he tried to stop the driver, Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said. The driver of the stolen 2006 GMC Sierra pickup truck stopped, but as the officer was getting out of the vehicle the defendant put it in reverse and rammed the police car, Bertagna said.
The force of the impact knocked the officer out of his car, Bertagna said.
The collision touched off an hourlong pursuit through the city where at one point he drove through a crowd of pedestrians who had to dive out of the way in the 800 block of South Sullivan Street and then later he allegedly drove through a playground, crashing into the equipment, Bertagna said.
Aguilar ultimately pulled into a parking lot at 410 N. Nantucket Place and tried to run away, but when police caught up to him, he remained combative with them until he was subdued, Bertagna said.
Aguilar pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Thursday and was ordered to return to court Sept. 13 for a pretrial hearing in the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.
Aguilar pleaded guilty to felony burglary on May 28, 2014, and pleaded guilty in April 2013 to misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence and being a minor in possession of alcohol while driving.
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