SANTA ANA — A 31-year-old convicted burglar was charged with murder for allegedly running over a car theft victim in Garden Grove four years ago, police said Wednesday.
Roberto Saldana Perez was charged Sept. 3 with murder with a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a deadly weapon. He did not enter a plea at his hearing in the jail courtroom in Santa Ana Wednesday and his arraignment was rescheduled for Sept. 26 in the West Justice Center in Westminster.
Perez is accused of killing 42-year-old Theo Johnson on July 24, 2020, with a vehicle, according to Garden Grove police Sgt. Nick Jensen.
The suspect and victim did not know each other but they had a common friend, and after they got together to work on a car, Perez jumped into Johnson’s car and began driving away about 2 p.m. in the 12200 block of Tamerlane Drive, which is a cul de sac, Jensen said.
Johnson gave chase, and when Perez turned around to get out of the cul de sac he allegedly ran over the victim, who died later in a hospital, Jensen said.
Perez was ordered to appear in court from the prison in San Luis Obispo earlier this month, according to court records.
Perez was convicted of burglary in February 2015 and in May 2014, according to court records.
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