CASE OF INTEREST

Date:       November 18, 2004

Case:       People v. Frank Uhler

Contact:    Ron Linthicum (916) 874-7321 , Telephone: 874-8685

District Attorney Jan Scully announced today that 31 year-old Frank Uhler was sentenced to 92 years to life by the Honorable Jane Ure, following his convictions for assaulting Deputy Sheriff David Becwar with a semiautomatic firearm, felon in possession of a sawed-off shotgun, evading a police officer with a vehicle, felon in possession of a semiautomatic firearm, and felony resisting arrest.

On September 16, 2003, at approximately 3 a.m., Sheriff Deputy David Becwar observed a car stopped in a parking lot behind several closed restaurants in Rio Linda.   The officer made a U-turn as the car left the parking lot.  The officer paced the car and determined it was speeding and tried to make a traffic stop.  The driver, later identified as Frank Uhler, pulled to the side of the road and two people fled from the car.  Mr. Uhler drove his car and refused to yield to the officer’s lights and sirens.  Mr. Uhler accelerated his car to speeds up to 70 mph and ran several stop signs without slowing.   Deputy Becwar followed the suspect until his car hit a tree. Uhler fired multiple shots with a .380 semiautomatic Beretta pistol through his own windshield at Deputy Becwar.  One bullet struck the windshield of Deputy Becwar’s patrol car.  Deputy Becwar returned fire and called for backup. Uhler fled, but was located in a field where he was holding a sawed-off shotgun to his mouth. Sheriff’s Deputy Mark Melville spent the next several hours negotiating Mr. Uhler’s peaceful surrender.  Neither Deputy Becwar nor Mr. Uhler was hurt during the incident. 

Frank Uhler had previous convictions for attempted robbery and shooting at an inhabited dwelling.  He was prosecuted under the three strikes law.  Deputy District Attorney Ron Linthicum said: “It was a miracle that Officer Becwar was not injured.  Despite the danger presented by a felon armed with a pistol and a sawed-off shotgun, the deputy sheriffs involved acted with bravery, restraint, and professionalism.”