Convicted driver’s attorney files appeal

An attorney representing a 20-year-old Glendale man convicted for paralyzing a 38-year-old male driver who inadvertently pulled in front of a 2009 street race filed a motion Tuesday to appeal the case.

Aren Aznavoleh’s attorney, Lisa Budris, filed the motion with Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Teri Schwartz on Tuesday. Aznavoleh was sentenced in January to seven years in prison for driving recklessly on Glenoaks Boulevard and causing the traumatic injuries to Rafick Daroosee.

Schwartz also moved a restitution hearing scheduled for Tuesday to March 29, when attorneys on both sides will discuss monetary compensation for Daroosee and his family.

Aznavoleh was found guilty Dec. 10 of two felony counts of reckless driving and two felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon.

Jurors also found him guilty of causing great bodily harm to Daroosee — who was paralyzed as a result of the crash — and his 19-year-old car passenger, Tadeh Haghvirdi, who suffered a broken arm.

Aznavoleh was racing against a white BMW on Glenoaks at 61 mph when he ran through a red light and crashed into Daroosee’s Nissan Sentra while he was making a turn at Concord Street.

Aznavoleh testified through an Armenian interpreter that he tried to stop, but faulty brakes on his parents’ Nissan Quest caused him to crash into Daroosee’s car. He also denied racing the BMW.