Posted on 10/29/2005 6:51:56 AM PDT by radar101
The man killed by San Diego police after a moving gunbattle Thursday afternoon had a criminal past that included convictions for armed robbery and assault on a police officer, records show.
Santino Juarez, 31, of Encanto was also wanted on two arrest warrants: for violating probation for a purse-snatch conviction in Chula Vista in 2003, and for a drunken-driving conviction July 28 in El Cajon.
An undercover San Diego police detective was looking for Juarez in connection with the robbery warrant when he spotted him about 2 p.m. near the mobile-home park in Encanto where Juarez lived.
The detective called for a marked car and uniformed officers to make the traffic stop. The driver almost immediately began firing at the officers with a Glock 9mm semiautomatic handgun, police said.
Juarez was accused of firing at officers at 11 locations during the wild 30-minute chase through southeastern San Diego and Spring Valley. Nine San Diego police officers and one National City police officer returned fire six times.
Juarez died in a hail of bullets inside his 1991 black Honda Civic after it became disabled and stopped on Reo Drive in Paradise Hills.
Veteran police officers said they hadn't seen anything like it in decades.
At least one civilian vehicle, several police cars and a house were struck by stray gunfire.
Students at several schools were locked down during the chase although some children were still on playgrounds as the cars raced by. There were no other injuries.
So many bullets were fired that investigators have yet to complete a tally, San Diego police Capt. Mary Cornicelli said.
Forensics lab personnel continued to collect evidence at the miles-long crime scene yesterday.
During a press conference yesterday, Cornicelli said the actions of dozens of officers involved in the incident were "tremendously heroic."
She said the officers used great restraint in dealing with a suspect repeatedly firing a weapon and endangering lives.
"There was no reasonable alternative other than for the officers to fire at the suspect," Cornicelli said.
Juarez's mother, who was brought to the scene in Paradise Hills after her son was dead, reportedly told relatives and others she believes officers used excessive force and didn't have to kill him.
Several other relatives and friends had little to say when contacted at the the mobile home Juarez shared with his wife.
"We're just watching their house for them. They have lots of paperwork to do," said a man in the family's home at the gated Summit Ridge Mobilehome Park.
"She is not here," a woman said about Juarez's widow. The woman confirmed she was Juarez's mother and declined further comment.
The incident is being reviewed by police internal affairs, homicide detectives, training and tactics officers and the District Attorney's Office.
"We are looking at all aspects," Cornicelli said.
Police declined to provide details of Juarez's criminal record. A spokesman for the District Attorney's Office said that there would be no comment on the case because of the ongoing investigation into an officer-involved shooting.
Court papers show that Juarez was arrested March 24, 2003, on suspicion of stealing a purse from a woman who was about to enter a Chula Vista Food 4 Less with her 13-year-old nephew.
The woman was pushed from behind, her purse strap was ripped from her shoulder, and she was punched in the face. A man picked up the purse, ran to a car and was caught a few blocks away by a Chula Vista police officer. He was brought back to the crime scene and identified as the suspect. He did not resist arrest.
Juarez pleaded guilty to robbery and was given three years' probation, documents show. Two months later, he violated probation, although the records did not specify how.
More than two years later, in August 2005, authorities in the South County Court issued a no-bail warrant for his arrest. No explanation was given for the delay.
Juarez also was convicted in 1993 in Ogden, Utah, for assault on a police officer and served six months.
Research Librarian Anne Magill and Staff Writer Mark Arner contributed to this story.
Joe Hughes: (619) 542-4591; joe.hughes@uniontrib.com
Cleaner streets in CA
CAR!
Without a vehicle his little crime sprees (plural) never could have occurred!
Honda and the automobile industry as a whole should be sued into oblivions. They were utterly irresponsible in letting this KNOWN CRIMINAL have access to a vehicle. They as whole did absolutely NOTHING to stop this person. Its an outrage I tell you!
When will the Automobile Industry be held accountable for their irresponsible actions?!?!
~~semi sarcasm OFF~~
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