A Santa Clarita Valley man is facing up to 17 years, 4 months in prison after a jury convicted him of six counts, including two counts of attempted murder, for a high-speed pursuit and subsequent crash involving his teenage child in 2019.
A jury on March 3 convicted David Charles, 61, of six counts in total, including injuring a spouse, mayhem, child abuse under circumstances likely to produce great bodily injury and assault with a deadly weapon.
The case started with a Sept. 2, 2019, report of domestic violence in Canyon Country, according to previous reporting on the case.
As Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies arrived to investigate the call, Charles got into a car with his child and fled the scene.
Charles drove the wrong direction onto Highway 14 before he crashed his car into several vehicles. Charles then exited the car and tried to cross the freeway on foot.
“He crashed the car and attempted to flee the scene, crossing the northbound lanes on foot. He was leading a teenage kid by the hand,” according to a statement given shortly after the incident by California Highway Patrol Officer Josh Greengard, spokesman for the Newhall area office, which investigated Charles’ crimes. He added that Charles was hit by a car on Soledad.
Charles was left in critical condition as a result of being hit. His child was uninjured, and there were no other injuries reported in the collision, per officials.
The case was prosecuted by Cathy Lee of the San Fernando branch of the L.A. County District Attorney’s office.
Charles is due back in court April 11 for his sentencing.
