Dec. 25, 2024 3 AM PT
A man who led local authorities on a pursuit last week through Fullerton, Buena Park and La Palma was trying to get away with a heist of Legos from a Fullerton grocery store, prosecutors said this week.
During the chase, the suspect allegedly ran a red light in La Palma and plowed into a 67-year-old driver, killing her.
Anthony Michael Hanzal, 43, of Anaheim was charged with three felonies: gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, petty theft and evading a peace officer causing death. He was allegedly under the influence of drugs during the incident, according to a release by the Orange County district attorney’s office.
Hanzal was a second-striker — someone who has accumulated two “strikes” from serious or violent felonies under California’s three-strikes law, prosecutors said. A prior strike can increase the sentence of a second felony, and a third strike can mean 25 years to life in prison.
On Dec. 18, a plainclothes Fullerton officer said he saw Hanzal stuff boxes of Legos into a bag at a Fullerton Albertsons, then leave without paying. The officer called for a marked police vehicle to make a stop, that’s when Hanzal sped off, according to the release.
Hanzal allegedly rear-ended someone at a red light before getting on the westbound 91 Freeway to Buena Park. Police chased Hanzal all the way to La Palma, where speeds reached 90 miles per hour on La Palma Avenue, prosecutors said. Hanzal ran a red light at the intersection of La Palma Avenue and Moody Street, running into the driver side of 67-year-old Marianne Casey’s car. The impact killed her instantly, according to the release. The crash pushed both cars into other motorists and injured other bystanders.
Video of the crash obtained by ABC 7 showed a white Nissan Rogue SUV run the red light, causing a side impact collision, or T-bone, with a blue BMW belonging to the victim. Another SUV waiting at the opposite light was pushed onto the sidewalk after the crash.
Currently held without bail and facing a maximum sentence of 26 years and four months if convicted on all counts, Hanzal is scheduled to be arraigned in Fullerton on Jan. 6.
Hanzal could not be reached for comment.
“Enough is enough. Actions have consequences and I am mad as hell that an elderly woman is dead because a drug addicted repeat thief decided to steal Legos from a grocery store and then lead multiple police agencies on a high-speed chase through Orange County in the middle of the day,” Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer said in the release.
