A Buena Park man was sentenced to prison after pleading no contest to felony domestic violence charges stemming from an hourslong police chase last year, prosecutors said Thursday.
Alexis Leonardo Avina, 31, entered the plea Wednesday on one count each of kidnapping, injuring a girlfriend and driving against traffic while fleeing a police officer’s vehicle, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release.
A judge immediately sentenced Avina to six years and eight months in state prison, while a 10-year protective order was issued for the victim, the DA’s office said.
At time of the April 24 police chase, South Gate police said Avina was a previously convicted felon released early from prison under AB 109.
South Gate officers initially tried to pull Avina over after he was seen striking his girlfriend while driving, prosecutors said.
Aerial video from Sky5 showed the car driving recklessly. At one point, people were seen scrambling to flee after Avina crashed through a chain-link fence and into Roosevelt Park in the Florence-Firestone area of South L.A.
He was also seen driving onto sidewalks and against the flow of traffic. The aerial video showed him collide with another driver as he tried to weave through rush-hour traffic.
The victim remained in the vehicle throughout the roughly three-hour pursuit through L.A. and Orange counties, despite attempts to escape and grab control of the steering wheel.
The chase came to an end after Avina pulled into the parking lot of a 99 Cents Only store in Rowland Heights and abandoned the vehicle. The store was evacuated as Avina was taken into custody by California Highway Patrol officers.
The victim was treated at a hospital following the incident.
