Case of 2003 Fatal Car Chase Ends in Mistrial
From Times Staff and Wire Reports
A judge has declared a mistrial in the case of an accused car thief who led police on a chase ending in a crash that killed his pregnant girlfriend and a sheriff’s deputy.
Augustine Alejandro Zapata, 21, is charged with second-degree murder in the May 28, 2003, crash that killed Deputy Joshua Clyde Lancaster, 27, and Lorena Rodriguez, 17, who was 14 weeks pregnant.
The jury deliberated about a week before deadlocking 11-1. Zapata is due in court Sept. 12 to get a new trial date.
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