People v. Rivera CA2/7

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 16, 2021
DocketB299461
StatusUnpublished

This text of People v. Rivera CA2/7 (People v. Rivera CA2/7) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Rivera CA2/7, (Cal. Ct. App. 2021).

Opinion

Filed 4/16/21 P. v. Rivera CA2/7 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION SEVEN

THE PEOPLE, B299461

Plaintiff and Respondent, (Los Angeles County Super. Ct. No. YA097491) v.

CANDIDO RIVERA,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Mark S. Arnold, Judge. Affirmed. Doris M. LeRoy, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. Xavier Becerra, Attorney General, Lance E. Winters, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Susan S. Pithey, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Paul M. Roadarmel, Jr., and Stephanie A. Miyoshi, Deputy Attorneys General, for Plaintiff and Respondent. INTRODUCTION A jury convicted Candido Rivera of murder and on other charges stemming from a police chase and collision in which Rivera crashed a stolen vehicle into a utility pole, killing his passenger. Rivera argues the trial court erred in admitting footage from body cameras worn by two police officers depicting post-collision events. Rivera contends the footage was irrelevant, more prejudicial than probative, and cumulative of other evidence. We affirm. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND A. The Information The information charged Rivera with second degree murder (Pen. Code,1 § 187, subd. (a); count 1); fleeing a pursuing peace officer’s motor vehicle causing death (Veh. Code, § 2800.3, subd. (b); count 2); assault on a peace officer (§ 245, subd. (c); count 3); driving or taking a vehicle without consent with a prior conviction (§ 666.5; Veh. Code, § 10851; count 4); misdemeanor hit-and-run driving resulting in property damage (Veh. Code, § 20002, subd. (a); count 5); and misdemeanor driving when privilege suspended or revoked (Veh. Code, § 14601.1, subd. (a); count 6). The information alleged that Rivera had served three prior prison terms within the meaning of section 667.5, subdivision (b). Rivera pleaded not guilty to the charges and denied the special allegations.2

1 All further statutory references are to the Penal Code, unless otherwise indicated. 2 Before trial Rivera pleaded no contest to the charges of driving or taking a vehicle without consent with a prior conviction (count 4) and driving when privilege suspended or revoked

2 B. The Prosecution Case On January 9, 2018 at approximately 10:30 a.m., Rivera drove past Gardena Police Officer Jaycon Sanchez in a silver Honda CR-V. Sanchez, who was in uniform, ran the Honda’s license plate and discovered the vehicle had been reported stolen on January 8, 2018 in South Gate. Sanchez located the vehicle two blocks away traveling westbound on 168th Street. As the Honda approached Sanchez’s patrol car, Rivera waved at Sanchez and began to pull the Honda to the right curb. Sanchez activated his patrol car’s emergency lights and drove forward to prevent Rivera from escaping. Sanchez’s patrol car had a dashboard camera, and Sanchez was wearing a body camera. As Sanchez opened the patrol car’s door, Rivera accelerated towards Sanchez’s car, striking its door and closing it. Sanchez remained in the patrol car and began to pursue Rivera. At the intersection of Normandie Avenue and 166th Street, Rivera ran a red light and drove on the wrong side of the road. When Rivera reached the intersection of Normandie Avenue and Marine Avenue, the Honda struck an occupied pickup truck. Rivera did not stop. Rivera ran another red light. At the intersection of Normandie Avenue and Rosecrans Avenue, Rivera drove on the wrong side of the road. Rivera ran a red light at the intersection of Normandie Avenue and Century Boulevard. Rivera swerved to avoid a

(count 6). Rivera admitted the prior conviction allegations on count 4.

3 sheriff’s vehicle.3 The Honda collided with another vehicle. Rivera lost control of the Honda, and it crashed into a utility pole. The Honda burst into flames. The pursuit lasted approximately four minutes, and covered five to six miles. Rivera ran six or seven red lights, and the vehicles reached speeds ranging between 70 and 110 miles per hour. Sanchez’s body camera captured Sanchez stating that the vehicle had “TCed Century and Imperial. TC.4 Roll fire, it’s on fire. Roll fire, it’s on fire.” Sanchez approached the burning Honda. Rivera appeared to be alive. Another officer observed that a person inside the Honda was “[s]till talking.” Sanchez and the other officer told Rivera to exit the vehicle. Sanchez then shouted, “Get the female out! Get the female out!” Sanchez told the other officer that Rivera was the driver and that a passenger was still inside the car. Gardena Police Officer Luis Villanueva approached the burning vehicle with a fire extinguisher. Villanueva pulled Rivera, who was slumped over the passenger, out of the vehicle. Villanueva attempted to pull the female passenger from the car, but the flames prevented him from extracting her. The passenger died at the scene. Gardena Police Detective Richard Reynaga spoke to Rivera at the hospital in an effort to identify the female passenger. Reynaga wore a body camera when he spoke with Rivera.

3 The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department assisted the Gardena Police Department by blocking traffic on Normandie Avenue and Century Boulevard. 4 “TC” refers to “traffic collision.”

4 Reynaga told Rivera that he needed the passenger’s name to do a “death notification.” Rivera replied, “Jackie, that’s all I know.” Rivera told Reynaga that he had picked Jackie up at an abandoned house near Florence Avenue and Budlong Avenue. Rivera said the police could contact people who knew Jackie through Facebook, but that Rivera did not know Jackie’s Facebook profile and had contacted her through “Messenger.” Rivera stated that Jackie and he had been in Gardena “[c]ruising around.” Rivera asked Reynaga if Jackie was “really bad;” Reynaga replied that she had “passed away in the crash.” Gardena Police Detective Karen Salas, who investigated the collision, inspected the Honda and found fingernail clippers in its ignition, indicating that the vehicle had been stolen.5 Salas obtained city camera footage that had captured portions of the police chase. At least one camera showed Rivera driving the Honda on the wrong side of the road. Salas testified that the police ultimately identified the female passenger as Jacqueline Cortez. The coroner testified that Cortez died from blunt force trauma from the collision. The coroner stated that it did not appear the fire contributed to Cortez’s death because he found no evidence of significant smoke inhalation in Cortez’s airways or lungs and the toxicological results were “essentially negative” for carbon monoxide. The coroner testified that Cortez’s head injury was “devastating” and “incompatible with life.” He testified Cortez’s death would have been “very immediate,” and that Cortez

5 The parties stipulated that the Honda had been stolen on January 8, 2019 and that Rivera drove the stolen Honda without permission on January 9, 2019.

5 would have died “within a matter of seconds.” Cortez was 21 years old. C. The Defense Case Gardena Police Officer Joel Martinez drove to Normandie Avenue and 162nd Street after being dispatched to join the pursuit of Rivera. Martinez saw Rivera and Sanchez approaching the intersection. Martinez joined the pursuit behind Sanchez’s patrol car. Traffic conditions were “[l]ight to moderate,” and the Honda was traveling 53 miles per hour.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
People v. Rivera CA2/7, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-rivera-ca27-calctapp-2021.