SALINAS – A Greenfield man has been sentenced to 30 years to life for for murder, after he intentionally ran a man over with a car to avoid arrest according to a press release from the Monterey County District Attorney’s office.
Paulo Cesar Alcaraz Ortiz, 27, was convicted of running over Guadalupe Garcia, assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, evading a peace officer causing death, unlawfully driving a stolen vehicle and resisting an executive officer.
On Nov. 16, 2021, Ortiz was in a car stolen from a friend’s parent. A police officer tried to contact him, but he refused to obey orders and began a high-speed flight from arrest, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
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On several occasions, he attempted to strike pedestrians with his car and missed, the District Attorney’s office said. At one point, he rammed a police car to avoid being caught.
Finally, he targeted Garcia with an intent to kill him the press release said. He missed in his first try, but, following the fleeing man through a field, Ortiz drove over him, killing him. Police vehicles rammed the car Ortiz was in, then dragged him out of the car. He told police that he believed killing Garcia would cause the police to stop chasing him or make them shoot him.
The District Attorney’s Office reported that Garcia was a well-known and beloved member of his community.
Ortiz was sentenced by Judge Andrew Liu after hearing from members of Garcia’s family.