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NEWS > CRIME AND FIRE


Suspects in chase, death due back in court
Jul 19, 2010
 By Connor Ramey

The three suspects from Salinas who are accused of robbing two Hollister stores April 17 on San Juan Road before crossing county borders on a high-speed chase through the streets of Salinas, killing a fourth assailant, will return to court July 22 to set a preliminary hearing date after pleading not guilty last month.

Roberto Silva, 19, Omar Medrano, 18, and Angel Iniguez, 17, are facing charges of homicide while committing a felony, three counts of robbery, and participating in a street gang. All charges have special circumstances tied to them for using a firearm and participating in a "violent street gang," according to court documents.

Medrano has an additional special circumstance because he was charged with a prior felony as a juvenile, documents show.

As of now all three are being tried as adults, but attorney Harry Damkar contended that the Iniguez case could be turned over to juvenile court because he was a minor when the crimes were committed. He was not named in the initial police report.

The fourth suspect, Jesus Hernandez, died at the scene. His upper torso flew out of the car as the driver lost control during a high-speed chase and clipped the side of a building in downtown Salinas. After hitting the building, the car hit a parked vehicle and street sign before coming to a rest.

Medrano was sent to a hospital in the Bay Area after suffering head injuries during the crash.

Because of a rule in the law, all the suspects are charged with homicide because the death was caused during a separate felony.

Art Cantu, the attorney for Medrano, believes the passengers of the car shouldn't be charged with murder, he said.

"We understand the murder rule, but he died in the car accident when my client was a passenger," he said. "You can't say a passenger caused the death of another passenger - it stretches the law."

The crash happened on Romie Lane, adjacent to the Park Row shopping center.

The chase started on Hollister's west side at 5 p.m. after the four suspects allegedly robbed Mi Ranchito Market and 156 Plaza Gas Station at gun point, Hollister police Sgt. David Westrick said after the crime. The suspects pointed the guns as each stores' clerks and demanded money before fleeing.

The two stores are only a few hundred feet apart.

The suspects took nearly $1,000 from Mi Ranchito Market and an unspecified amount from 156 Plaza Gas Station, Westrick said. Afterward the suspects fled to the coast on Highway 156 in a black Honda.

San Benito Sheriff Deputy Rich Brown identified the vehicle just outside San Juan Bautista and chased the car to the Monterey County border when both the California Highway Patrol and the Monterey County Sheriff's Office took over the chase.

Officers followed the suspects to Salinas at speeds that exceeded more than 100 mph before crashing. The suspects had been throwing gangs signs throughout the chase, according to the police report.

District Attorney Candice Hooper was not available immediately for comment.

Connor Ramey
Connor Ramey is a staff writer for the Free Lance. You can reach him by email or at (831) 637-5566.

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