Yuma Sun

Man who fled traffic stop last year accepts plea offers

- BY JAMES GILBERT

Instead of taking the eight felony charges against him to trial, the man who fled from a traffic stop last year chose to accept plea offers on Tuesday that resolved three of the cases against him and dismissed two others.

In doing so, Richard Trujillo pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary, both of which stipulated that he would be sentenced to 3-1/2 years in prison.

He also changed his plea to guilty to a charge of possession of a dangerous drug in exchange for a

2-1/2 year prison sentence.

All three sentences are to be served consecutiv­ely, meaning

Trujillo will serve a combined 9-1/2 years behind bars.

Superior Court Judge Darci Weede accepted Trujillo’s guilty pleas and scheduled his sentencing for 8:30 a.m. on April 18.

She also ordered that Trujillo must pay full restitutio­n to all the victims in the cases against him.

The charges against Trujillo stem from several incidents in which he was found in possession of methamphet­amine after being arrested on a warrant and breaking into two homes and stealing thousands of dollars in property. He also stole two vehicles. According to the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office, the initial incident happened at around 2:41 p.m. on April 15, 2022, when deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a white 2005 Cadillac.

Instead of pulling over, Trujillo, who was the driver of the Cadillac, allegedly sped away, hitting several other cars while trying to evade deputies.

Due to the damage sustained in one of the crashes, the Cadillac was rendered inoperable, causing Trujillo and another occupant in the vehicle to flee on foot.

While Trujillo was taken into custody with the help of a bystander, the other occupant, identified as Eric Granville, was able to escape.

Three days later, deputies received an anonymous tip regarding a possible sighting of Granville in a vehicle.

A deputy later located the vehicle at a gas station on Frontage Road and the Interstate 8 overpass in the Foothills.

Granville was found hiding underneath blankets in the back seat of the vehicle. He was arrested and taken into custody. He was sentenced to prison earlier this month.

 ?? ?? RICHARD TRUJILLO
RICHARD TRUJILLO

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