Pursuit Suspect Shot By Police Pleads Not Guilty To Carjacking, Other Charges
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A parolee accused of leading police on a high-speed chase from Boyle Heights to Montebello, where he was shot by officers, has pleaded not guilty to carjacking, among other charges.
Aaron Lorta, 29, is charged with one count of carjacking, three counts of attempted carjacking and one count of fleeing a pursuing police officer's vehicle while driving recklessly.
He was hospitalized with gunshot wounds after the chase, which began on surface streets in Boyle Heights around 5 p.m. February 9, when police officers responded to a call of a stolen vehicle.
SKY2 was overhead as the driver continued on surface streets near the 101 Freeway, speeding through intersections and toward oncoming traffic
The suspect could be seen pulling what appeared to be a gun on the driver of a stopped vehicle at Garfield Avenue and Imperial Highway. The woman in that car was able to flee during the ordeal.
The suspect continued driving northbound on the 710 Freeway in East L.A. shortly after 5:40 p.m. before heading back onto surface streets in Monterey Park and transferring to the 60 Freeway.
An officer-involved shooting occurred as the suspect fled on foot on Via Campo after his vehicle became wedged between two cars.
Lorta was hospitalized with gunshot wounds. No officers were injured.
Lorta has been ordered to remain in jail in lieu of $615,000 bail.
According to records, Lorta has been arrested 12 times since 2007 for a variety of offenses, including domestic battery, vandalism, resisting arrest and trespassing. In May 2013, Lorta was convicted for robbery and sentenced to 16 months in prison, but released after 11.
Lorta was paroled in June but violated parole within a month.
He is next scheduled to appear in court March 13 and could face more than 27 years in state prison if convicted as charged.
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