Local News in Brief : Santa Ana : L.A. Officer Pleads Innocent in Gun Case
A Los Angeles police officer pleaded innocent Thursday to charges of firing a gun into the air while standing in the open sunroof of a limousine on an Orange County freeway during his bachelor party.
Whitney Van Devander, 36, of Artesia was off duty when the alleged incident occurred around midnight on July 19 at the Kramer Avenue entrance to the eastbound Riverside Freeway in Anaheim.
Van Devander has been charged with brandishing a firearm and discharging a weapon on a public road, both misdemeanors, Deputy Dist. Atty. Creighton Laz said. Each charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 6 months, Laz said.
The driver of another vehicle told police that Van Devander had pointed the gun at him and then fired several shots into the air. Van Devander said the noises were exploding firecrackers thrown from the car.
Van Devander was not present in court for his arraignment. His attorney, Peter Acuna, entered the plea on his behalf in Orange County Municipal Court in Santa Ana.
A pretrial hearing was scheduled for March 1.
No charges were filed against two other passengers who were riding in the limousine, Laz said.
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