Anthony Michael Hanzal, 43, was charged with felony gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, one felony count of evading a peace officer causing death, and one felony count of petty theft with two prior convictions. He faces up to 26 years and four months in prison if convicted on all counts.
The incident took place on Dec. 18 at an Albertsons in Fullerton, where an undercover police officer allegedly spotted Hanzal putting “boxes of Legos” into a bag before exiting the store without paying for the merchandise, according to a statement from the district attorney’s office.
The officer then called for a marked car to make a traffic stop. A uniformed officer attempted to pull Hanzal over, but he allegedly took off and later rear-ended a car stopped at a red light on another street.
The pursuit continued along La Palma Avenue, reaching speeds of up to 90 miles per hour, according to Spitzer’s office.
At the intersection of La Palma Avenue and Moody Street, Hanzal ran a red light and crashed into the driver’s side of a car driven by 67-year-old Marianne Mildred Casey, who died instantly, Spitzer’s office said in the statement.
The impact caused both cars to collide with other vehicles, injuring bystanders. Hanzal was under the influence of drugs at the time of the incident, according to Spitzer’s office.
“Enough is enough. Actions have consequences and I am mad as hell that an elderly woman is dead because a drug addicted repeat thief decided to steal Legos from a grocery store and then lead multiple police agencies on a high-speed chase through Orange County in the middle of the day,” Spitzer said in the statement.
“While [it] may be of little comfort to Marianne Casey’s loved ones, if you commit crimes in Orange County, there will be consequences for your actions and there will be justice for victims.”
Hanzal is being held without bail and is scheduled to be arraigned on Jan. 6, 2025.
The Epoch Times reached out to Spitzer’s office for further details but did not receive a reply by publication time.
Under Prop 36, which received nearly 70 percent of the vote during the Nov. 5 election, offenders with two prior convictions for theft or drug offenses can be charged with a felony, regardless of the value of the stolen property. Previously, theft involving items valued below $950 would have been considered a misdemeanor. The value of stolen property from multiple thefts could be combined to meet the $950 felony threshold.
