One of the suspects wanted involved in the June 16 incident in Downtown Santa Ana for assault with a deadly weapon has been taken into custody today and booked into juvenile hall.
The second suspect remains outstanding.
Anyone with information on his identity or whereabouts is asked to contact Detective Sergeant P. McClaskey at (714) 245-8438 or pmcclaskey@santa-ana.org.
Original Post:
Detectives are attempting to identify two suspects who fired illegal fireworks indiscriminately into a large crowd of people.
On Wednesday, June 11, at approximately 10:30 p.m., the suspects aimed the fireworks downward toward individuals in the crowd near the area of 4th Street and French Street during a demonstration.
Here are the penalties the arrested suspect is now facing:
- Illegal Fireworks Use
- Misdemeanor: Up to 1 year in jail and fines up to $1,000
- Felony (for dangerous or large-scale use): Up to 3 years in prison and fines up to $50,000
- Violation of Santa Ana Fireworks Ordinance
- Minimum fine: $1,000
- Jail time: Up to 6 months
- Assault with a Deadly Weapon
- Because fireworks were aimed at people, this could be charged as assault
- Penalty: 2 to 4 years in state prison
- Reckless Endangerment
- For putting people at risk of injury
- Penalty: Up to 1 year in jail or more if charged as a felony
- Disturbing the Peace or Unlawful Assembly
- Penalty: Fines and/or jail time
Props to SAPD for the catch! Sadly, most youth come out of juvi even more delinquent than going in. Eroded family life and the resulting glamorization of anti-social, gang, and narco lifestyles is becoming so engrained in the culture there is no easy fix. Combine that with crushing cost of living, a lack of meaningful productive work opportunity, and economic upward mobility out of reach for all but the professional elites, and you have a deeply troubled and tumultuous society.