An ex-con from North Hollywood was charged Friday with leading police on a high-speed chase in which he allegedly crashed a stolen work van into several vehicles, leaving multiple people injured.
Karapet Kirichyan, 46, is charged with three counts of assault with a deadly weapon — a vehicle, along with two counts of hit-and-run resulting in injury to another person and one count each of fleeing a pursuing police officer’s motor vehicle while driving recklessly and driving or taking a vehicle without consent, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. All of the charges are felonies.
Kirichyan is also charged with one misdemeanor count of hit-and-run driving resulting in property damage.
The criminal complaint alleges that Kirichyan has prior convictions for burglary, vehicle theft and grand theft.
Kirichyan allegedly stole a work van Wednesday in the 10700 block of Magnolia Boulevard in Van Nuys that was later spotted by Los Angeles police in the 6900 block of Ranchito Avenue, according to prosecutors.
During the police chase, he allegedly collided with vehicles, causing injury to the occupants, and knocked down a tri-light pole, prosecutors said.
The chase ended in Hollywood.
Kirichyan was arrested about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday by Los Angeles police.
He has remained behind bars since then, according to jail records.
If convicted as charged, he could face a maximum of more than 13 years in state prison, according to the District Attorney’s Office.