Salinas Man Pleads No Contest to Carjacking, Assault With a Deadly Weapon, DUI Causing Great Bodily Injury and Evading Police

 

SALINAS, California- Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced on January 4 that 28-year-old Adrian Gonzalez of Salinas, pled no contest on January 4 to charges of Carjacking, Assault With a Deadly Weapon, DUI Causing Great Bodily Injury and Evading Police.

On October 11, 2022, just after 1:30 p.m., Gonzalez called for a taxi to pick him up near the Home

Depot on North Davis Road in Salinas. Shortly after picking Gonzalez up the taxi driver noticed

that Gonzalez was acting strangely and making nonsensical comments. The taxi driver quickly

became afraid and asked Gonzalez to get out of the vehicle. Gonzalez initially complied and got

out but then pulled the female driver out of the taxi, punched her in the face, and threw her to the

ground. Gonzalez took the keys and drove off in the taxi. The victim immediately called police and

reported the incident.

Gonzalez was spotted by Salinas Police almost 2 hours later – still driving the stolen taxi –

entering Highway 101 southbound at Boronda Road. After entering the highway Gonzalez quickly

accelerated to speeds exceeding 100mph. Salinas Police followed Gonzalez southbound on

Highway 101 until California Highway Patrol Officers were able to take over the pursuit. As they

followed Gonzalez officers observed him repeatedly strike other vehicles on the roadway in what

appeared to be attempts to cause accidents. Due to the dangerous nature of the driving the pursuit

was called off as Gonzalez passed through Chualar. CHP officers continued to watch Gonzalez

from a distance and observed him exit Highway 101 north of Soledad. After he exited the highway

Gonzalez turned around and re-entered the wrong side of Highway 101, heading northbound in the

southbound lanes. Police observed Gonzalez drive against traffic for several miles before colliding

head-on with a Ford Focus, causing serious injuries to its two occupants. Gonzalez was arrested at

the scene and found to be under the combined influence of Methamphetamine, Morphine and

Marijuana.

Based on his plea Gonzalez will receive a stipulated sentence of 11 years and 8 months in state

prison.

The case was investigated by the Salinas Police Department and California Highway Patrol and

prosecuted by the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office specialized DUI Vertical Prosecution

Unit. Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety

through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.