On Tuesday February 6, 2007, Nicholas Green age 27 of Tulare was sentenced for using a stolen car to assault two police officers, stealing a second vehicle, transporting narcotics, and using force to resist arrest by two other police officers, as well as violating probation in two cases. The Court sentenced him to six years four months in prison following the plea he entered on January 11, 2007 to each charge and allegation filed in the Information.

On November 28, 2006 officers were conducting surveillance on a recently stolen vehicle in the city of Visalia when they observed the defendant walk up and open the driver’s side door. Officers announced their presence and ordered the defendant to step away from the stolen vehicle. Instead, the defendant jumped into the vehicle and started the engine. By this time, other officers used their vehicles to block the car in, with the front patrol vehicle coming to a stop four feet away from the stolen vehicle.

As Agent Winter began to get out of that patrol vehicle, the defendant put the car into drive, slammed on the accelerator and rammed into Agent Winter’s patrol vehicle, pushing the vehicle with the officer in it back approximately ten feet. During this time, Officer Fahoum had taken a position on foot directly behind the stolen vehicle; she identified herself and again ordered the defendant to stop the vehicle. Instead of complying, the defendant put the stolen car into reverse, while looking over his shoulder directly at where Officer Fahoum stood, and floored the accelerator. This caused the vehicle to travel rapidly in reverse and Officer Fahoum was barely able to dive out of his path in time to avoid being hit by the stolen vehicle.

On December 7, 2006 the defendant caught the attention of police because of the erratic and dangerous way he was driving another stolen vehicle. The defendant led them on a high speed chase through the city of Visalia. After a lengthy chase, the defendant ran from the vehicle and attempted to flee from the officers. The officers ordered him to stop which he failed to do. The defendant began to fight the officers as they attempted to take him into custody. At that time the co-defendant Danielle Gott age 22 also of Tulare, who had been in phone contact with the defendant during the chase, arrived on scene and attempted to stop the officers from arresting the defendant. Officers were eventually able to take both of them into custody and located methamphetamine in the possession of each of them, as well as burglary tools on the defendant. Because the defendant used a vehicle as a deadly weapon, his privilege to drive has been permanently revoked. The co-defendant received a local commitment in conjunction with formal felony probation for her first conviction.

This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Samantha Arnerich with assistance by officers of the Visalia Police Department and the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department.

Contact person: Don Gallian, Assistant District Attorney 733-6411.