Tow Truck Driver Charged with Gang Shooting in Santa Ana (CA)

[TowNews]

Felony charges were filed Friday against a tow truck driver who allegedly shot a man and a 13-year-old girl in Santa Ana in January and fled to Mexico, where he was arrested this week.

 

Jesus Angel Lopez, 27, of Santa Ana, is charged with four counts each of attempted murder and assault with a semiautomatic firearm and single counts of possession of a firearm by a felon and being an active participant in a gang carrying a loaded firearm in public.

 

He also faces sentence-enhancing allegations of gang activity, discharging a firearm causing great bodily injury or death, personal use of a firearm and attempted premeditated murder.

 

Lopez, who was arrested Wednesday in Tijuana and is being held in lieu of $1 million bail, made his initial appearance in the jail courtroom in Santa Ana but did not enter a plea. His arraignment was rescheduled to March 24.

 

Lopez, a documented gang member, is accused of shooting the two victims from his tow truck just after 1 a.m. Jan. 16 in the 900 block of West Bishop Street, Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.

 

The victims, who sustained bullet wounds to their legs, were taken to area hospitals for treatment. It was not clear whether Lopez knew them, Bertagna said.

 

Lopez abandoned the tow truck, which was recovered by police, he said. An arrest warrant was issued for Lopez on Jan. 19, but he had fled the country, police said.

 

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[TowNews]