Driver in chase, crash to spend almost 9 years in prison

Many tears were shed during Wednesday morning's sentencing of 19-year-old Lenny Marty Ignacio Jr., the driver in a high speed chase and crash earlier this year that left a Hanford Police officer critically injured and a Lemoore woman partially paralyzed.

Friends and family members of both the victims and the defendant gathered at the Kings County Superior Court just after 10:30 a.m. as Judge Steven Barnes leveled the maximum sentence of seven years in state prison without probation on the primary charge, with an additional year and eight months on additional charges for total prison time of nearly nine years.

"This was not an accident," Deputy District Attorney Meredith McKittrick said. "It is the people's job to protect the public and the seriousness of this crime cannot be overstated. He was the sole cause of this tragedy and he has no remorse. He is an absolute danger to this community."

Ignacio pleaded guilty in August to charges of willfully evading a peace officer resulting in the serious bodily injury of a person, driving under the influence of a controlled substance resulting in injury and a special enhancement of injuring an additional victim.

During proceedings, he sat quietly in his chair without commenting, closing his eyes with little visible reaction to the words said about his character.

"This was a tragic incident, caused by my client's foolishness and lack of judgment," Defense Attorney Eddie Ruiz said. "But, he came here today knowing he was going to take full responsibility for what he has done. He wants to say he is sorry to Officer (Jeff) Davis and to his girlfriend, Selia Quair."

Ruiz asked for leniency on behalf of his client, who has acted as Quair's primary caregiver since the time of the February accident.

McKittrick, however, was adamant that Ignacio receive the maximum sentence.

"If I could ask for a life sentence, I would," McKittrick said. "I saw Officer Davis that night. I recognized his profile in the car next to me, as a man I worked with and respect. Mr. Ignacio in his statements seems to feel a lot of remorse for Ms. Quair, but not much for Jeff and his family. I think Mr. Ignacio has a total disregard for the law and is incapable of living a law-abiding life."

A request by the defense for Ignacio to receive custody credit for the time spent in recovery at Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno was also denied. Ignacio will be required to pay restitution to the victims; the amount of restitution will be determined at a later date.

"There are not enough words to describe this offense," Judge Barnes said. "It is as egregious as you can get. It is a wonder that no one was killed."

The incident began just after 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 10, when Ignacio was driving in excess of 25 mph over the speed limit in Selma. When a police officer attempted to pull him over, Ignacio sped away, running through a stop sign and racing onto the freeway at 85 mph.

Ignacio escaped from law enforcement officials, but was later located in Kings County by deputies with the Kings County Sheriff's Department. Officers gave chase again, but Ignacio was able to escape into Hanford by turning off his headlights and disappearing into the dark winter night.

Just before 11:30 p.m., Ignacio was traveling southbound on 11th Avenue without his headlights on when he collided with Davis' patrol car at a high rate of speed, ejecting the officer from the vehicle and critically injuring himself and Quair.

"The last thing I remember is getting a call from dispatch about a pursuit involved Selma Police officers," Davis, tearing up, said in his statement to the court. "When I awoke three days later, my family and friends had to explain that I was in a car accident. I was still in shock.

"It wasn't until later in April, when I worked up the courage to walk up to my patrol car that I realized that it was an act of God that I didn't die that night."

A quantity of marijuana was found inside of the vehicle. Ignacio had a $25,000 warrant out for his arrest prior to the crash.

Ignacio was still silent as bailiffs led him out of the courtroom just before noon.

"I've been a police officer for three-and-a-half years," Davis said. " I don't know if I'm ever going to be able to go back to work again."

The reporter can be reached at 583-2425.

(Sept. 25, 2008)