A 27-year-old man who stole a vehicle at gunpoint before leading authorities on a high-speed chase pleaded guilty to a pair of felony charges Tuesday and was immediately sentenced to five years in state prison.
Victor Olivas of North Shore was arrested last August following the carjacking reported in the area of Avenue 78 and Fillmore Street.
Olivas pleaded guilty to one count each of carjacking and evading arrest in exchange for prosecutors dismissing one felony count each of taking a vehicle without an owner’s consent and receiving stolen property, along with several sentence-enhancing allegations.
It was not immediately clear whether Olivas’ co-defendant, 25-year-old Francisco Razo of North Shore, also agreed to a plea deal.
The pair were scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing Tuesday in which prosecutors present evidence that a judge uses to decide whether a trial is warranted.
According to Sgt. Steve Davis of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the carjacking was reported at about 10:40 a.m. on Aug. 31, 2020. Deputies spotted a car matching the description of the one stolen about five miles away from the location later that evening, and tried to make a traffic stop.
The driver — who was not identified — sped off and led deputies on a nearly seven-mile chase to the area of Polk Street and Avenue 78, where the two suspects ditched the car and tried to escape on foot but were arrested nearby, Davis said.
According to court records, both defendants were out on bail in a separate felony case at the time of their most recent arrests.
Neither defendant has any prior felony convictions in Riverside County.