People v. Roberson CA1/2

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedDecember 5, 2013
DocketA136135
StatusUnpublished

This text of People v. Roberson CA1/2 (People v. Roberson CA1/2) 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. Roberson CA1/2, (Cal. Ct. App. 2013).

Opinion

Filed 12/5/13 P. v. Roberson CA1/2 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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

FIRST APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION TWO

THE PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent, A136135 v. OGES ROBERSON, (Marin County Super. Ct. No. SC175203) Defendant and Appellant.

On April 11, 2012, two unidentified men were seen on video monitors committing a burglary at an Autodesk building in San Rafael. Police officers responded and saw a sedan with four men leaving the scene about 2:00 a.m. The car sped away and the police pursued, but lost sight of the car. At 3:30 a.m., a police officer observed a car turn the wrong way onto a one-way street and commenced a pursuit of the vehicle, which entered Highway 101 in the southbound lanes. During the pursuit, the car made a U-turn on the freeway, threatening a head-on collision with one of the pursuing police vehicles. The car went off the roadway into a muddy ditch. Oges Roberson, in muddy pants and shoes, was arrested nearby. Two other men, similarly muddy, were also apprehended. The car was a rental vehicle for which Roberson was an authorized driver. It contained items that had been taken from Autodesk, as well as some of Roberson’s personal papers. Roberson was tried by a jury, which found him guilty of commercial burglary (Pen. Code, § 459),1 receiving stolen property (§ 496, subd. (a)), and evasion of a peace

1 Unless otherwise indicated, statutory references are to the Penal Code.

1 officer with willful or wanton disregard for the safety of other persons or property (Veh. Code, § 2800.2, subd. (a)). Roberson contends that the People presented insufficient evidence to sustain his conviction on any of these counts. He also argues that the court erred in failing to instruct the jury on the lesser included offense of misdemeanor evasion of a peace officer (without willful or wanton disregard for safety). Finally, he contends, and the People concede, that the court erred in the sentence that it imposed, by making the sentences on two of the charges, which were to be served concurrently, consecutive to the sentence on another charge, contrary to section 654. We conclude that substantial evidence supported Roberson’s conviction on the commercial burglary and receiving stolen property counts. However, we conclude that substantial evidence did not support a finding of guilt on the charge of evasion with willful or wanton disregard for safety, which was based on the theory that it was the natural and probable consequence of aiding and abetting the burglary or receiving stolen property. Instead, we find that the evidence supports only a finding of guilt for the lesser included offense of misdemeanor evasion and we amend the judgment to reflect that conclusion and remand for resentencing. Finally, we agree with the parties that the trial court erred in sentencing Roberson. On remand for resentencing, the trial court can ensure that the error does not recur. BACKGROUND I. Procedural Background The People charged Roberson in a first amended information, filed on April 16, 2012, with the following offenses: (1) felony assault with a deadly weapon (a motor vehicle) upon a peace officer (§ 245), subd. (c)); (2) felony evading a peace officer with willful or wanton disregard for safety (Veh. Code, § 2800.2, subd. (a)); (3) felony commercial burglary (§ 459); (4) felony receiving stolen property (§ 496, sub. (a)); and (5) misdemeanor hit and run driving (Veh. Code, § 20002, subd. (a)). Before trial, count five was dismissed on the People’s motion in the interest of justice.

2 The information also alleged that Roberson had two prior felony strike convictions 19 years earlier for robbery (§ 211) and assault with a deadly weapon (§ 245, subd. (a)(2)). In addition, the information alleged that Roberson was ineligible for probation because: (1) he used a deadly weapon (a car) in count one (§ 1203, subd. (e)(2)); and (2) he had six prior felony convictions (§ 1203, subd. (e)(4)). Finally, the information alleged that for three of his prior felony convictions, Roberson had not remained free of prison custody for five years between prison terms, rendering him eligible for sentencing enhancements under section 667.5, subdivision (b). A trial by jury commenced on April 13, 2012. On April 20, 2012, the jury found Roberson not guilty on count one and guilty on counts two, three, and four. Trial on the prior convictions was bifurcated and Roberson waived his right to a jury trial for that phase of trial. On April 24, 2012, the trial court found to be true: four of the six charged prior felony convictions, pursuant to section 1203, subdivision (e)(4); one prior strike, pursuant to section 1170.12; and Roberson’s three prior prison terms, pursuant to section 667.5, subdivision (b). On June 13, 2012, the trial court sentenced Roberson to prison for a term of six years four months. The term was comprised of the mid-term of two years for count 2, doubled to four years as a result of the prior strike; a four-year sentence for count 3, with 32 months stayed, to be served consecutively; a four-year sentence for count 4, to be served concurrently with the sentence for count 3; and a consecutive one-year term, pursuant to section 667.5, subdivision (b). Roberson filed a timely notice of appeal on July 12, 2012. II. Factual Background On April 11, 2011, about 1:45 a.m., Robbie Munoz was observing security video monitors at Autodesk in San Rafael. He saw two African-American men in black hoodies and pants going up and down a stairway area carrying electronic equipment. Munoz could not make out the facial features of either man.2 Munoz called the police

2 The security system provided only a live feed and did not record.

3 department and Ramon Cabrera, a security employee of Autodesk, went to the area to investigate, discovering a broken window that appeared to be the point of entry. Cabrera found electronic equipment that had been moved and damaged inside the building; other items, including a laptop computer and a hat, were on the ground outside. Autodesk suffered about $10,000 in property damage and loss. The first two police officers to respond arrived close to 2:00 a.m. in separate patrol cars. Each saw a newer model dark sedan of undetermined make and model driving away from the area. Officer Kevin MacDougald slowed down, turned his spotlight on the car, and saw four African-American men inside. The car departed “at a very high rate of speed.” The other officer, Ronda Reese, saw a driver and one or more passengers in the car, but could not identify the occupants. Both officers activated their sirens and emergency lights and gave chase, but the car did not stop and they soon lost sight of it. About 3:30 a.m., MacDougald, on routine patrol, saw a car turn the wrong way onto a one-way street in downtown San Rafael. He activated his emergency lights and siren and followed the car, which accelerated away from him onto the freeway, heading southbound on Highway 101 “at a high rate of speed.” They reached speeds of over 90 miles per hour. The car made a U-turn and began traveling back, in the wrong direction, in the fast lane of the freeway. MacDougald immediately stopped and advised other officers of the events. Officer Justin Graham had joined the car chase and was driving his patrol car, with emergency lights and siren activated, southbound on the freeway when he saw the car’s headlights coming towards him. He began to do “a left to right zigzag pattern” for “a couple of seconds, several seconds”—actions that the oncoming driver appeared to mimic.

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People v. Roberson CA1/2, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-roberson-ca12-calctapp-2013.