Irvine : Arizonan Sentenced in Kidnaping of Officer
An Arizona man was sentenced on Friday to almost 13 years in prison for kidnaping an Irvine police officer and threatening to kill him with the officer’s gun.
Superior Court Judge James K. Turner sentenced Edward M. Reyna, 43, of Peoria, Ariz., to 12 years and eight months.
Convicted Feb. 3, Reyna was accused of taking Officer Thomas P. Friday’s .357 revolver, forcing him to drive his patrol car toward Mexico and attempting to shoot the officer in a struggle for the gun.
The Sept. 19 episode began when the officer stopped Reyna’s southbound car after seeing it weaving on the Santa Ana Freeway, authorities said. Reyna was driving through Orange County on his way to Arizona after visiting relatives in Fresno.
Upon being stopped, Reyna got out of his car, scuffled with the officer and grabbed the weapon, authorities said. Reyna then ordered him back into the patrol car and told him to drive. When the officer noticed that Reyna had uncocked the revolver, he braked suddenly and grabbed the cylinder of the gun.
Prosecutors said that grabbing the cylinder of an uncocked revolver prevents it from firing.
Reyna was arrested after a second Irvine police officer arrived on the scene.
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