Motorist Convicted of Assault

VAN NUYS —  A man who was shot twice and critically wounded for failing to stop his car as it slowly rolled toward a CHP officer was found guilty of assault with a deadly weapon, officials said Tuesday.

Edward Ruben Pantoja, 31, of San Fernando, faces a maximum of five years in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 21 by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Harwin.

Jurors returned the verdict Monday.

The incident began as a chase and ended with a burst of police gunfire that smashed Pantoja’s windshield, sent him to a hospital with a punctured lung and broken rib, and prompted authorities to blame Pantoja for baiting the officer into shooting him.

The decision by California Highway Patrol Officer Ronald Valencia to fire on Pantoja led to a debate on whether he had acted appropriately. Valencia, 38, was cleared of any wrongdoing and is on patrol duty, according to the CHP.

Authorities said Pantoja was speeding on the southbound Hollywood Freeway when a CHP cruiser approached. Pantoja slowed down, but after the officer passed, Pantoja sped up, tailgating the black-and-white CHP cruiser, according to investigators.

After closely following the CHP cruiser for nearly two miles, according to authorities, Pantoja sped by the officer, swerving in front of the police car. Valencia switched on his siren and lights and followed Pantoja to the freeway’s offramp at Vineland Avenue in North Hollywood.

Valencia, who had ordered Pantoja out of his car over the cruiser’s loudspeaker--to no avail, ran in front of the car, yelling “Stop! Stop!” while Pantoja kept the car slowly moving toward the officer. Valencia fired a series of shots through the car’s windshield, striking Pantoja at least twice. Pantoja drove away but was captured moments later in a parking lot at Lankershim Boulevard and Moorpark Street.

The incident was captured on film by a passing KTLA-TV Channel 5 news crew.

The video of the events was “a good witness,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Craig Richman, who prosecuted the case.

“The officer was vilified for what he had done, but now he’s vindicated,” Richman said. Valencia could not be reached for comment.

Pantoja’s defense attorney, Ralph Peretz, could not be reached for comment.