A Lego thief fleeing cops allegedly crashed into a 67-year-old woman, killing her, in La Palma, California (KCAL/YouTube).
A man from California allegedly stole Legos from a grocery store and collided with a woman’s car while trying to escape from the police, resulting in her immediate death, as stated by prosecutors.
The Orange County District Attorney, Todd Spitzer, revealed that the incident occurred on December 18 at an Albertsons supermarket in Fullerton. A plainclothes officer observed a man, later identified as 43-year-old Anthony Michael Hanzal, taking Lego boxes from the shelves and placing them in a bag without paying, according to Spitzer. Hanzal reportedly exited the store without paying for the items. The officer tailed Hanzal in an unmarked vehicle and requested a marked patrol car to pull him over.
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Despite a uniformed officer’s attempt to conduct a traffic stop, Hanzal evaded by turning onto a different street and speeding away, Spitzer mentioned. Hanzal allegedly collided with a stationary vehicle at a traffic light and kept driving, eventually entering the westbound State Road 91. Subsequently, he took the Knott Avenue exit in Buena Park, with law enforcement officers pursuing him into La Palma at speeds exceeding 90 mph, according to Spitzer. Hanzal purportedly approached the junction of La Palma Avenue and Moody Street, ran a red light, and crashed 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.
