Santa Ana man charged with assault

Deepa Bharath

Police arrested a 23-year-old Santa Ana man early Saturday morning

after he rammed into another vehicle, causing it to spin 360 degrees

in the middle of Placentia Avenue, officials said.

Viviano Lozano Azpeitia has been charged with drunk driving and

assault with a deadly weapon -- the weapon in this case, his car,

said Costa Mesa Police Lt. Dale Birney.

Officials do not know what caused the incident, but Birney said

they suspect “it could be alcohol-related.”

He said the incident began at about 12:30 a.m. at a 7-Eleven in

the 2100 block of Placentia Avenue. Azpeitia and the victim, a

25-year-old Costa Mesa resident, were both parked outside the store

in separate vehicles, Birney said.

“When the victim pulled out of the lot, [Azpeitia] bumped the rear

end of the victim’s car,” he said.

The victim then turned on to southbound Placentia Avenue, Birney

said.

“Azpeitia followed him down Placentia Avenue,” he said. “The

victim was near a traffic light at 19th Street and Placentia when he

bumped the victim’s car again.”

The victim stopped at the red light, Birney said.

“That’s when Azpeitia rammed into the victim’s car yet again, this

time causing major damage to the vehicle,” he said.

The victim, who panicked, drove through the red light, only to be

followed by Azpeitia, Birney said.

Both made a U-turn at 18th Street and started traveling northbound

on Placentia.

“Azpeitia then came over to the victim’s right side and rammed

into the vehicle again, causing it to spin around in the middle of

the street,” Birney said.

At this point, Azpeitia lost control of his vehicle, which jumped

the curb and hit a bus bench and a light pole in the 1800 block of

Placentia, he said.

Azpeitia and three others abandoned the car and fled, Birney said.

But witnesses identified him for officers when they arrived, he said.

The victim was with a passenger, Birney said. No one was hurt in

the incident.

Azpeitia is being held in Orange County jail in lieu of a $50,000

bail.