DATE:  January 22, 2019

CASE:  Fernando Sanchez (Case # 17FE017119)

PROSECUTOR:  Deputy District Attorney Sydne Jones, Career Criminal Prosecution Unit

The Honorable Allen Sumner sentenced Fernando Sanchez to 88 years and 4 months to life in prison.  On November 20, 2018, a jury convicted Sanchez of assault with a deadly weapon, assault on a police K9 causing serious bodily harm, attempted carjacking while armed with a weapon, burglary while armed with a weapon, felony evading officers and vandalism.

On September 11, 2017, an officer attempted a traffic stop on Fernando Sanchez when Sanchez sped away onto South Avenue.  Sanchez rammed through the secured gates at the Kinney Police Station, striking a marked patrol vehicle. He then continued through the secured lot and rammed another set of gates, before driving onto a residential street and crashing into a fence.  He then fled on foot and a K9 officer was deployed.  When the K9 caught Sanchez, he struck the dog multiple times with a razor blade.  An officer believed Sanchez had a gun and fired at Sanchez, hitting him in the leg.  Sanchez fled on foot into a backyard, where he armed himself with a metal pipe.  He then went to a nearby home and demanded the homeowner drive him out of the area.  Sanchez struck the victim multiple times with the metal pipe.  When the victim was able to take possession of the pipe, Sanchez ran into the victim’s house and came out a short time later with the victim’s car keys and a metal cooking pot that he swung at the victim’s head.  Sanchez ordered the victim into the car with him, but the victim refused and the two struggled.  When officers arrived at the home, Sanchez was detained after a struggle. Reno the K9 sustained two large lacerations across his torso, cutting down through the muscle.

Sanchez was sentenced under California’s Three Strikes Law having been previously convicted in 2004 of assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping and attempted robbery.

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