A 27-year-old man with previous misdemeanor convictions was sentenced Friday to 17 years to life in prison for attempting to kill a bicyclist and leading police on a chase in Santa Ana.
Victor Erick Carillo was convicted Sept. 24 of attempted murder, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, carrying a loaded firearm in a public place with a prior conviction, all felonies, with sentencing enhancements for attempted premeditated murder and personal use of a firearm.
Carillo was also convicted of misdemeanor driving recklessly during a police pursuit.
Carillo pleaded guilty in February 2015 to car theft, possession of burglary tools and driving without a valid driver’s license, all misdemeanors.
The most recent case stems from the theft of a 2000 Toyota 4Runner about 4:15 a.m. in May 2019, police said. The victim left his sport utility vehicle running to warm up while he was in his residence and emerged to see it speeding away, police said.
Police were dispatched about 5:45 p.m. May 11, 2019, to 1469 Maple St., near Edinger Avenue, where officers found evidence of a shooting, prosecutors said in court papers. Bullet castings were discovered and damage to a vehicle parked on the street recovered.
Two witnesses testified during the trial they saw a Toyota 4Runner speed up and intentionally slam into a bicyclist, prosecutors said. Three people jumped out of the vehicle and started shooting before getting back into the vehicle and fleeing, prosecutors said.
The victim picked up his bike and left, prosecutors said.
About 10:30 p.m. that same day, police spotted a suspect vehicle and attempted to pull over the driver, who led them on a chase, prosecutors said. The driver drove on the wrong side of the street and nearly slammed into another vehicle before the driver lost control and crashed into a wall in the 1700 block of South Standard Street, between Edinger and Warner avenues, prosecutors said.
Carillo jumped out of the vehicle and ran, dropping a gun, but was apprehended as he tried to recover the weapon under a vehicle, prosecutors said. Police had to subdue the combative suspect by using a carotid restraint, prosecutors said.
Carillo’s attorney, Renee Garcia, said in court papers that her client had a troubled youth.
“He was raised by his single mother and never even knew his father,” she said. “His father was arrested due to domestic violence with his mother… Victor has three younger half siblings all with different fathers.”
Carillo’s mother noted he “suffered from developmental delay and mental limitations,” but “no formal diagnosis was sought, nor counseling or services for Victor were ever sought,” Garcia said.
His mother “noted that Victor could not read or write and he appeared somewhat `slow’ and had limited mental capabilities,” Garcia said.
At 14 he was “identified as developmentally delayed” and had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and was illiterate, Garcia said.
His therapist “recognized that Victor was easily manipulated and suggestible by peers leading to his involvement in wrongful activities,” Garcia said.
The defendant was often bullied and he eventually turned to gangs and got hooked on drugs at a young age, smoking marijuana at age 10 or 11, Garcia said. Gang members would prod him to do their bidding, she added.