A man who crashed a stolen car into a La Mirada gym early Tuesday is now facing multiple charges, including attempted murder, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said Thursday.
Prosecutors charged Sergio Reyes, 32, of Whittier, with one count of attempted murder, one count of assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of vandalism over $400 in damages and one count of driving or taking a vehicle without consent.
Deputies initially responded to a call of a vehicle into a building in the 12800 block of Valley View Avenue just before 1:45 a.m.
Surveillance video from the gym showed a car smashing through the front door and slamming into the front desk, narrowly missing an employee standing there.
A witness who was outside the gym told KTLA he saw the driver revving his car’s engine before driving straight into the building.
Reyes then fled the scene by getting into the passenger side of an awaiting vehicle, but was eventually located and arrested with the help of some witnesses who’d followed him, authorities said.
Prosecutors said Reyes’ gym membership had been terminated earlier this month due to “inappropriate behavior,” noting that he had previously had disputes with gym employees and said that he would return.
If convicted Reyes faces a maximum possible sentence of more than 25 years in prison. He is scheduled for his first court appearance Thursday.