Paso Robles man could spend life in prison for multi-day crime spree, judge rules
A Paso Robles man who went on a multi-day crime spree could spend the rest of his life in state prison, according to the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office.
A San Luis Obispo County jury convicted Richard Quntan Garcia of felony attempted robbery, robbery, carjacking and reckless evasion of a peace officer in May, the District Attorney’s Office said in a Tuesday news release.
The 31-year-old man was also convicted of misdemeanor counts of resisting, delaying or obstructing a peace officer and possession of methamphetamine.
In a separate hearing, San Luis Obispo County Superior Court Judge Timothy Covello found that Garcia was previously convicted for assault with a firearm for the benefit of a criminal street gang and assault with a firearm — both considered “strikes” under California’s Three Strikes Law, according to the release.
The crimes of which Garcia was convicted in May would collectively be considered his third strike under the law.
On Tuesday, Covello sentenced Garcia to 41 years plus 77 years to life in prison for the crimes — a total of 118 years to life in state prison, the release said.
Crime spree includes robbery, carjacking
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Garcia’s crime spree started the day before Thanksgiving — Nov. 24, 2021 — when he entered a Carl’s Jr. restaurant on the 2700 block of Black Oak Drive in Paso Robles shortly after 10 p.m. and “demanded money from a 15 year-old employee while pointing a handgun about six inches from the employee’s face.
A different employee quickly called the police and Garcia fled without getting any money.
Three hours later, the District Attorney’s Office said, Garcia entered a Chevron gas station on the 1800 block of Ramada Drive in Paso Robles with a handgun.
The Paso Robles man then demanded money from the employee and fired a shot over the employee’s shoulder into the ceiling.
That employee gave Garcia money from the cash register, the release said, before Garcia fled the scene in a dark BMW sedan.
When police spotted and attempted to stop a dark gray BMW about an hour later, the driver reportedly sped away.
A high-speed pursuit ensued along rural Nacimiento Lake Drive, the release said, ending 15 miles later near Lake Nacimiento Resort, where Garcia fled on foot.
Three days later, on Nov. 28, Garcia carjacked a woman outside an apartment complex on the 1200 block of Creston in Paso Robles, the District Attorney’s Office said.
According to the release, Paso Robles Police Department officers spotted Garcia in the area of the carjacking the following day.
He fled again, the release said, but was arrested this time after a half-mile pursuit.
“Richard Garcia’s violent crime spree was a menace to our community,” District Attorney Dan Dow said the release. “This sentence of life in prison is a message that should strongly discourage any other individuals from bringing their criminal activities here.”
