Man Charged With Murder in Fatal Bus Hijacking

Capital murder charges were filed Friday against a 40-year-old Reseda man stemming from a bus hijacking and wild police chase earlier this week through downtown Los Angeles that ended in a deadly collision.

Carlos Ray Garcia, charged in the death of a Norwalk woman whose vehicle was smashed by the speeding MTA bus, made his first court appearance Friday afternoon.

At the request of the Los Angeles County public defender’s office, Garcia’s arraignment will be May 17.

If convicted in the death of Guadalupe Arevalos, 34, Garcia would be eligible for the death penalty. Deputy Dist. Atty. Pat Dixon said Friday that his office has not decided whether to seek capital punishment.

Garcia, also known as Jalal Chianian, is being held without bail on 13 felony counts.

The charges include committing murder while carjacking the bus, kidnapping and robbing a bus driver, all of which are considered special circumstances that can result in the death penalty.

The chaotic events unfolded Wednesday afternoon in the 1300 block of James M. Woods Street in the Rampart area where Garcia allegedly shot Anthony Lewis, 35, in what police say may have been a racially motivated attack.

Garcia, according to police, then commandeered MTA driver Emma Gutierrez’s bus near 8th and Blaine streets. With police in pursuit, the 16-ton MTA bus raced through downtown, weaving through rush-hour traffic, making several precarious turns and running several red lights before broadsiding Arevalos’ minivan at 4th and San Pedro streets.

Police said Garcia grabbed Gutierrez, 48, by the neck and held a gun to her head. After striking the minivan, the bus, which was carrying five passengers including a 4-year-old girl, plowed into a United Parcel Service delivery truck and slammed into several empty cars in a restaurant parking lot.

Garcia was captured as he allegedly tried to carjack another vehicle while running from the bus.

Arevalos, 34, the mother of children ages 5, 7 and 11, was on her way home from work at the Central Library when the collision occurred.

Garcia also is charged with the attempted murder of Lewis, who remained hospitalized in critical condition, according to the district attorney’s office.

Lewis, who is black, told authorities that Garcia shot him because the suspect did not approve of black men associating with Latino women, police have said.

Asked if Garcia would be charged with a hate crime, Dixon, the prosecutor, said Friday that the investigation is continuing and that other allegations would be considered.

Gutierrez sustained a broken collarbone, a broken nose and cuts. The bus passengers were not seriously hurt.

In addition to murder and kidnapping charges, Garcia is accused of assaulting Gutierrez, evading police and attempted carjacking.