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Garcia dragnet snares more

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Ryan Carter

While prosecutors filed capital murder charges against David A.

Garcia in connection with the shooting death of a Burbank Police

officer, authorities continue to file charges against associates who

allegedly helped him elude capture.

“We want people to know that in this case, and further cases,

someone who kills a police officer or assists him in any way, is

going to be found and brought to justice,” Burbank Police Sgt.

William Berry said.

Luis Armando Sandoval, 21, was charged Monday in Burbank Superior

Court with being an accessory to what officials believe was Garcia’s

escape from a Nov. 15 gun battle during a traffic stop at the Burbank

Ramada Inn. The shootout left Officer Matthew Pavelka, 26, dead and

Officer Gregory Campbell, 41, with serious injuries to the neck and

stomach. Another man who was with Garcia during the shootout,

25-year-old Ramon Aranda, died from gunshot wounds at the scene.

Of the 44 people arrested in connection with Garcia’s escape,

prosecutors have filed charges against five people, ranging from

harboring him to weapons and drug possession, authorities said.

In addition to Sandoval, defendants include Garcia’s twin brother,

James, 19, and Erwin DeLeon, 20. Both appeared in Burbank Superior

Court on Monday for a preliminary hearing that was postponed until

Dec. 8.

The brothers’ father, Ernest Garcia, who was in the courtroom

Monday for James Garcia’s hearing and again Tuesday for David

Garcia’s arraignment, declined to comment.

Authorities also obtained arrest warrants for two northeast San

Fernando Valley men for being accessories after the fact and

cultivating marijuana. Both were still being sought late Tuesday.

Sandi Gibbons, spokeswoman for the office of the Los Angeles County

District Attorney, said charges were filed against them Monday.

“They have not been found. They are considered fugitives,” Gibbons

said.

Police and prosecutors said Tuesday that although Garcia had been

arrested, they are considering filing more charges against more

people in the case, and they continue to hold out the possibility of

more arrests.

“At this point, we are still siphoning through reports and working

with police, so right now, I don’t know what we’re going to do,” said

Deputy Dist. Atty. Keri Modder from the office’s Crimes Against

Police Officers section.

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