Happily Ever After got off to a rough start for a fresh from the altar bride and groom when a late night Taco Bell run went from the perfect ending to a dream of a day to a nightmare.
According to San Mateo County deputy district attorney, Sheryl Wolcott, the newly married man and woman decided to stop by East Fourth Avenue’s Taco Bell on their way to their hotel room at a nearby Embassy Suites. When they arrived the groom got out of his car, leaving the engine running and his bride in the passenger seat of their 2003 Nissan Altima.
It was at this time that the suspect, Alan Ticas-Soto, 21, allegedly attempted to hijack the couple’s car. Witnesses reported that the groom hadn’t even entered the restaurant when the suspect ran through the parking lot and jumped inside the idling car.
Luckily he didn’t get far. Police reported that the suspect had a hard time getting the car into reverse, giving the groom enough time to run back to his 22-year-old bride and help pull her out of the car. Tumbling to the parking lot’s asphalt she was shaken but unhurt.
The suspect, still behind the wheel of the Altima put the car into a forward gear and crashed into a Taco Bell sign. After the collision he preceded to leap out of the car and run away from the scene of the incident while witnesses called the police.
Police officer Brendan Boyle was patrolling nearby when he spotted a man matching the suspect’s description running southbound on Delaware Street at Ninth Avenue. After backup patrol cars arrived on the scene, police arrested Ticas-Soto without incident.
Police report that Ticas-Soto admitted that he had been taking methamphetamines for three straight days.
Facing felony car-jacking and misdemeanor drug charges, Ticas-Soto is being held in San Mateo County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail. With no criminal record, Ticas-Soto pleaded not guilty in San Mateo Superior Court on Monday.
Although he has yet to be assigned an attorney by the county private defender program,
Ticas-Soto’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 10. According to Wolcott, if Ticas-Soto is found guilty he could face up to nine years in prison for the carjacking.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Way too much cutesy in the lead, so much that I start tripping over it and get lost. You can have some fun with it, but a little of that goes a long way.
You can also tighten this up. For example, how about changing
"the newly married man and woman" to "the newlyweds"?
Keep your paragraphs short - not more than two or three sentences. And vary your sentenece lengths, especially when you're getting into a lot of complicated details. Give your readers a break.
Alan Ticas Soto, 21, faces felony carjacking and misdemeanor drug charges after he allegedly attempted to steal a car Saturday night outside the East Fourth Avenue Taco Bell with a newly married woman still in the passenger seat.
According to San Mateo County deputy district attorney, Sheryl Walcott, a newly married couple stopped for a late night snack on their way back to their hotel room at Embassy Suites. When the couple arrived at Taco Bell, the groom got out of the car, leaving his keys in the ignition and his bride in their 2003 Nissan Altima.
Police said the groom hadn't even gotten inside the restaurant when the suspect ran across the parking lot and jumped into the idling car. Once inside the vehicle the suspect had a hard time putting the car into reverse and had to fiddle with the gear shift before getting it into gear.
The delay allowed enough time for the groom to run back to open the passenger-side door and help his wife out of the car.
The 22-year-old bride tumbled to the parking lot asphalt, shaken but unhurt.
Witnesses called the police.
Meanwhile, the suspect put the car into forward gear and smashed into a Taco Bell sing. After the collision the suspect jumped out of the car and ran away.
Police Officer Brendan Boyle was patrolling nearby when he spotted a man, Ticas-Soto, matching the suspect's description running southbound on Delaware Street and Ninth Avenue.
Boyle called the sighting in and patrol cars converged on the scene. Ticas-Soto is being held in San Mateo County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail after pleading not guilty in San Mateo County Court on Monday.
If he's found guilty Ticas-Soto, a man with no criminal record will face up to nine years in prison for carjacking.
Currently no attorney has been assigned to Ticas-Soto's case by the county private defender.
Good job! That's much better.
Post a Comment