Man charged with shooting LAPD officer during Boyle Heights foot chase
A 35-year-old man is facing multiple attempted murder and assault charges after allegedly opening fire on Los Angeles police officers during a car and foot chase that sent civilians scrambling for cover and left one officer shot in the chest.
Marco Antonio Flores Cardenas is charged with four felony counts of attempted murder, six felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm upon a peace officer, three felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, one felony count of fleeing a pursuing peace officer’s vehicle while driving recklessly, and one felony count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
“The consequences of this incident extend far beyond a single moment of violence. 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,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. “But for the bullets hitting and deflecting off that officer’s bullet-proof vest, that officer would be dead. Acts of violence that shake our community and jeopardize public safety demand accountability.”
The incident unfolded on June 9 at approximately 1:47 p.m., when LAPD officers from the Newton Division attempted to approach Flores Cardenas on McGarry Street near East 16th Street after spotting a firearm in his vehicle. He allegedly fled, leading officers on a vehicle pursuit before crashing near Camulos and Garnet streets in Boyle Heights.
Flores Cardenas then fled on foot and allegedly fired rapidly at pursuing officers, striking one in the chest; the officer survived because of his ballistic vest. Civilians caught in the crossfire were not injured. The incident was captured on body-worn and surveillance cameras.
Officers shot Flores Cardenas during the pursuit, and he remains hospitalized. An arraignment will be scheduled at a later date. If convicted as charged, he faces multiple life sentences in state prison.
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney David Ayvazian, Crimes Against Peace Officers Division.
Comedian Carlos Mencia charged with tax evasion
Comedian Carlos Mencia, whose legal name is Ned Arnel Holness, was arraigned this week on tax evasion charges after prosecutors alleged he failed to report $8.7 million in income.
Mencia rose to national prominence in the mid-2000s with his Comedy Central series “Mind of Mencia” and has continued to tour as a stand-up comedian.
Holness, 58, was arraigned in Department 100 of the Van Nuys Courthouse. The case is being handled by the District Attorney’s Business Tax Fraud Unit. Further details on the scope and timeline of the alleged unreported income were not disclosed in the case filing.
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Michele Hanisee, Business Tax Fraud Unit.
Mother charged with murder of 17-Month-Old Daughter
A Santa Monica mother charged with murdering her 17-month-old daughter inside an upscale apartment building is due back in Los Angeles County Superior Court today for a preliminary hearing.
Carmen Anita Degregg, 25, is charged with one count of murder and one count of felony assault on a child under 8, causing death.
“The allegations in this case describe extreme violence against a child who was entirely vulnerable and unable to protect herself,” District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said when charges were first filed in January. “When a parent is accused of causing a child’s death, our office has a duty to act decisively and to seek the maximum accountability permitted by law.”
The incident unfolded on Jan. 6, when Santa Monica police were notified that UCLA police had detained a woman on campus after she made statements indicating she had harmed her child and left the infant inside an apartment in the 2000 block of Broadway. Officers responded to the unit, located inside the Charlie, an upscale Santa Monica building, and found the child suffering from significant injuries.
Santa Monica Fire Department personnel transported the toddler to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Police have said the child’s injuries involved a frying pan, though investigators have not detailed the full nature of those injuries. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner determined the cause and manner of death.
Degregg was booked at the Santa Monica Jail and made her first court appearance in an anti-suicide smock days after her arrest. Her preliminary hearing setting is scheduled for June 24 in the Criminal Justice Center.
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney MacKenzie Teymouri, Family Violence Division’s Complex Child Abuse Section, and remains under investigation by the Santa Monica Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division.
Also On The Docket
West Covina Police Officer Charged With Stealing Cash During Traffic Stops — Jose Antonio Garcia, a West Covina police officer, faces charges for allegedly stealing cash from motorists during traffic stops. A preliminary hearing is scheduled today at the West Covina Courthouse. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Brandy Chase, Justice System Integrity Division.
DEA Agent Charged With Firearms Possession, Spousal Battery — James Young, identified in court records as a DEA agent, faces charges for firearms possession and battery on a spouse. A progress report hearing is scheduled for June 26 at the San Fernando Courthouse. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Daniel Akemon, San Fernando Branch.
