Reseda Man Charged With Murder in Pursuit Death

A Reseda man accused of leading police on a high-speed chase that resulted in the death of a motorist in Eagle Rock was charged Friday with murder and other assorted felonies, the Los Angeles district attorney’s office said.

William Tanielian, 34, who police said was part of a two-man team that pulled off as many as 50 restaurant heists across Southern California, also faces one count each of assault with a deadly weapon, bodily injury and felony evading, prosecutors said.

Anthony Almandarez, 33, of Reseda, Tanielian’s alleged partner, was killed Wednesday in a gun battle with police at Balboa and Roscoe boulevards in Van Nuys.

Los Angeles Police Officer Jeff Nuttall, 28, suffered a bullet wound to the shoulder in the shootout. He was treated and released from Northridge Hospital Medical Center.

Earlier Wednesday, police said Tanielian led them on an eight-mile high-speed chase on the Ventura Freeway in Glendale.

The pursuit ended six minutes after it began in Eagle Rock when Tanielian swerved into oncoming traffic on Figueroa Street, then smashed his car into a vehicle driven by 34-year-old Milo Flores of Alhambra, authorities said.

Flores, who was driving his sister to work, was pronounced dead on arrival at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena. Flores’ sister was treated for minor injuries.

Tanielian did not appear in court Friday; he was in the jail ward at County/USC Medical Center. He is being held without bail, and prosecutors said they were examining evidence that he and Almandarez were responsible for other possible crimes.