John Jefferson
A Lego thief fleeing cops allegedly crashed into a 67-year-old woman, killing her, in La Palma, California (KCAL/YouTube).
A California man allegedly stole Legos from a grocery store and then slammed into a woman’s car while fleeing from cops, instantly killing her, prosecutors say.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said the incident unfolded on Dec. 18 at an Albertsons grocery store in Fullerton. An undercover officer saw a man, later identified as 43-year-old Anthony Michael Hanzal, grabbing boxes of Legos from the shelves and stuffing them in a bag, according to Spitzer. Hanzal then allegedly left the store without paying. The cop followed Hanzal in an unmarked vehicle and called for a marked cruiser to make a traffic stop.
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A uniformed officer tried to make the traffic stop but Hanzal turned onto another street and sped off, Spitzer said. Hanzal then allegedly rear-ended a vehicle stopped at a light and kept driving, entering the westbound State Road 91. He then exited at Knott Avenue in the city of Buena Park and cops continued chasing Hanzal into La Palma at upward of 90 mph, Spitzer said. Hanzal reportedly approached the intersection of La Palma Avenue and Moody Street and ran a red light, crashing into the driver’s side of a vehicle driven by 67-year-old Marianne Mildred Casey.
Casey was “instantly killed,” Spitzer said. The two cars also were pushed into other vehicles, which caused non-life-threatening injuries to those occupants.
According to Spitzer, Hanzal was under the influence of drugs. The defendant has been charged with felony gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. He also faces charges of evading a peace officer causing death and petty theft with two prior convictions. Hanzal faces more than 26 years in prison if convicted.
Spitzer released the following statement:
Enough is enough. Actions have consequences and I am mad as hell that an elderly woman is dead because a drug addicted repeat thief decided to steal Legos from a grocery store and then lead multiple police agencies on a high-speed chase through Orange County in the middle of the day. Marianne Casey’s family should be planning their holiday celebrations and instead they are planning a funeral because California’s soft-on-crime policies have created an environment where there is no accountability. Those days are over, and while may be of little comfort to Marianne Casey’s loved ones, if you commit crimes in Orange County, there will be consequences for your actions and there will be justice for victims.
Hanzal is in the Orange County Jail without bond. His next court date is scheduled for Jan. 6.
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