A Montgomery County, Maryland, District Court decide has ordered the man accused of stealing a state freeway truck and leading police on a chase throughout a number of suburban neighborhoods to be held with out bond.
A Montgomery County, Maryland, District Court decide has ordered the man accused of stealing a state freeway truck and leading police on a chase throughout a number of suburban neighborhoods to be held with out bond.
On Thursday, Judge Holly D. Reed III known as the incident “one of probably the most excessive risks I’ve seen in this group, perhaps ever.”
Flavio Cesar Lanuza, 27, is going through a number of prices in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in reference to the Feb. 16 incident.
In arguing for his launch on bond, legal professional Maria Mena stated in courtroom that Lanuza was having a psychotic episode on the time of the practically 30-mile chase. His household, Mena advised the decide, seen that he was appearing unusual in the week leading as much as the incident. At instances, he was pacing and nonverbal, Mena stated.
“As a consequence, then, this entire episode takes place the place sure, he does hit a automobile,” Mena stated after the courtroom look. “Yes, he does go away. And sure, he does take a state automobile. But, the issue at the moment is so many individuals don’t perceive what psychological well being is.”
Mena requested the decide for Lanuza to have a psychological well being analysis, however Judge Reed urged her to request that at a distinct time. Lanuza needs to be transferred to a psychological well being facility, she stated.
Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy, in the meantime, stated his workplace “had considerations about whether or not there was alcohol or different substances concerned,” however there’s no present indication that psychological well being performed a task in the incident, he stated.
In courtroom, Assistant State’s Attorney Kyle O’Grady described how Lanuza acquired concerned in a crash, after which finally stole the truck arriving to assist him. He stated Lanuza knocked down energy traces, drove into oncoming site visitors and hit a number of automobiles.
The Maryland State Highway Administration automobile, O’Grady stated, isn’t a standard truck. It weighs about 10,000 kilos, he advised the decide, calling it “basically a tank.”
Mena, in the meantime, stated Lanuza was displaying signs of a psychological well being disaster through the chase. He doesn’t have a felony report, she stated, and has been appearing regular since he’s began receiving remedy.
“Yes, individuals should be held accountable,” Mena stated. “But when somebody doesn’t have an understanding or understand what’s going down, then it must be addressed.”
O’Grady additionally stated there’s a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer for Lanuza, and argued he would evade prosecution if launched on bond, as a result of he’d probably be taken into ICE custody.
But Alex Garcia, an legal professional in Mena’s workplace, stated there’s “a program for Nicaraguans particularly right now, given the federal government’s situations and the political situations in the nation, that they’re being provided a authorized standing whereby they’re not in any approach right here illegally and present as much as courtroom and observe the system.”
Lanuza is going through felony assault and resisting arrest prices in Montgomery County. He’s additionally charged with stealing a state automobile and driving beneath the affect in Prince George’s County.
McCarthy stated he’s been working with Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy because the incident occurred. The case shall be dealt with in Montgomery County first, he stated, including “we’re coordinating in our prosecution.”
A preliminary listening to is scheduled for March 22.
The case, McCarthy stated, is exclusive, as a result of it was captured reside by native information helicopters.
“It’s reminiscent of a well-known case, the place the identical factor occurred,” he stated. “It’s not so typically that the general public will get this sort of a watch view of what occurs in some of these circumstances.”
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