Man guilty in violent car spree in West Sacramento

A Sacramento man was convicted on a number of charges Thursday stemming from his attempts to run over his girlfriend with his car and a subsequent hit-and-run accident which left several people injured in West Sacramento, according to the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office.

Jurors found Kareem Kento Washington, 38, guilty of assault with a deadly weapon, domestic violence with a deadly weapon enhancement, multiple counts of hit-and-run with injury, hit-and-run with serious, permanent injury, and hit-and-run causing property damage.

Prosecutors alleged that on the evening of Aug. 22, Washington and his girlfriend were driving in the vicinity of Jefferson Boulevard when they got into an argument, which resulted in Washington kicking her out of the car and forcing her to walk home.

Washington then attempted to strike her with the car, hitting a stop sign pole multiple times before making contact with the victim, causing her to “fly backward and hit her head on the pavement,” according to the District Attorney’s Office.

Bystanders attempted to intervene, but Washington drove away, accelerating to speeds over 80 mph, witnesses said. Washington drove through traffic, running red lights, eventually causing a collision when he crossed over a center median on Jefferson Boulevard, striking another car.

Four people were injured in the crash, and two were taken to a nearby hospital. One victim bit off a piece of her tongue during the impact, later causing her to lose her sense of taste, according to prosecutors.

Washington, whose car was totaled in the crash, fled. He was later restrained by “multiple bystanders” until West Sacramento police arrived and took him into custody, according to the District Attorney’s Office. He was booked into the Yolo County Jail, where he has remained in custody.