Attempted murder and other charges have been filed against a man who allegedly led Los Angeles police on a vehicle pursuit that ended with him crashing into a fence, fleeing on foot and firing at officers, striking one who was hit in the chest but saved by his ballistic vest, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday.
Marco Antonio Flores Cardenas, 35, is facing multiple life prison sentences if convicted as charged of four counts of attempted murder, six counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm on a peace officer, three counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and one count each of fleeing a pursuing peace officer’s motor vehicle while driving recklessly and possession of a firearm by a felon with a prior, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
The criminal complaint also alleges that he personally and intentionally discharged a semiautomatic firearm.
No immediate arraignment date was scheduled for Flores Cardenas, whom authorities said was shot and critically injured June 9 by police and remains hospitalized.
“In an instant, a quiet community was transformed into a crime scene and battle zone. Bullets whizzing down the street terrorized neighbors, threatened responding officers, and struck one officer in the chest. But for the bullets hitting and deflecting off that officer’s bullet-proof vest, that officer would be dead,” District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement announcing the charges.
Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said last week that officers in the area of Washington Boulevard and Alameda Streets south of downtown Los Angeles saw the man wielding a gun inside the pickup, prompting the July 9 chase.
The vehicle eventually crashed into a fence near the intersection of Garnet and Marietta streets — near the junction of the 5, 101, 10 and 60 freeways, with video from the scene showing the suspect allegedly jumping out of the truck.
“The suspect from what I saw on the video, he fired first,” the police chief told reporters.
McDonnell said that the suspect was firing at the pursuing officers as he was running.
“One officer was struck in the chest at least once,” the chief said. “Thankfully, he had a ballistic vest on that saved his life. The suspect continued to fire at officers. Multiple officers fired at him. The suspect was shot.”
His gun was recovered at the scene, according to McDonnell.