At a Tuesday afternoon press conference, Sheriff Mike Downey announced that the Humboldt County Sheriff’s office identified a “person of interest” in custody in relation to last Thursday’s hit-and-run incident that claimed the life of HSU professor Suzanne Seemann and injured two other joggers. He’s also “of interest” in the recent Hoopa homicide investigation, according to Downey.
Jason Anthony Warren was arrested late afternoon on the day of the accident on earlier assault charges and is being held without the possibility of bail. Downey said no other suspects are currently being sought in the case.
UPDATE: The Times-Standard is reporting that Warren had already been in custody on assault with a deadly weapon charges but was released on a “Cruz waiver” prior to his Sept. 7 sentencing date. He failed to show, which is why he was out and about on Sept. 27, the day the three joggers were hit.
This article appears in To Redeem a Felon.
Of great relevance, from the T-S report:
He entered into a plea deal to serve 6 years in prison for assault with a deadly weapon, but was let free until his next court date of Sept. 7. Why would someone pleading guilty to assault with a deadly weapon be allowed free for any length of time? Why release such a person back into our community for even one second? WHY?
Keep him in custody until he’s plead guilty, and then count that time as time served toward the longer jail sentence. This isn’t rocket science. It’s basic human decency, sorely lacking in our DA and our court system.
If this person actually did the crimes (innocent until proven guilty, blah blah), umm, if he did it, two women and a dog are dead, and two more women severely injured, because of this leniency toward criminals. Victims and surviving family and friends are victimized twice — first by the crime, and then by the time served (or lack thereof).
This is not the first time Gallegos has let violent criminals free despite serious crimes being committed. I know personally of two cases of attempted murder in which the perpetrators were never even CHARGED, let alone tried and convicted.
And now, Gallegos has helped destroy FOUR different families with the murders of Suzie Seemann and Dorohy Ulrich, and severely injuring the other two joggers by allowing this man to go free. Yes, I realize innocent until proven guilty, but come on! Even if he is innocent, he WAS convicted of assault with a deadly weapon and has past criminal history. WHY in the world would you let him out? I realize the jails and prisons are overflowing, but how about we get our priorities straight and lock up the people who deserve to be there-violent criminals! Find another way to deal with nonviolent crimes!
If there is anyway to impeach or recall a D.A., I think Humboldt County would be better off for it. And I also suggest the local media start sniffing around the DA’s office for one helluva front page story. Sounds like there is a lot of dirt to be dug up there.
It would have been a judge who granted the release, pursuant a request from the defense attorney. It’s true, the DA’s office could (and may have) oppose the motion, but it’s not up to the DA’s office to say yay or nay. Judges do that.
Thanks for the clarification, Larry. I stand corrected on that.
He has, however, made decisions to not prosecute violent perpetrators who should not be getting off scott free and who have changed the victims’ lives forever, even when there was overwhelming evidence for the prosecution.
Granted, I may not know all of his reasons, I have heard and seen enough to know that there is something unethical going on in his decision making process that warrants further investigation, IMHO.
Did the DA’s office oppose the guy’s release? I’d really like to know, but I’m pretty sure I already know the answer. I’m not voting for him again. Too many tragedies. Pretty soon, 51% of us will be victims and then he’ll be voted out of office.
Seems like folks are putting the blame on the D.A. rather than the scumbag that (allegedly) committed these heinous crimes. Unless you’re an attorney of criminal law that is familiar with all of the specific details of this, it seems pretty irresponsible to pass judgment on the prosecutor’s actions. Who’s to say that if it were a different person as the D.A. they wouldn’t have done the same thing given the same facts and circumstances. If you DON’T know the details, then you CAN’T know that something unethical has gone on.
That said, I’m really glad to hear they’ve got this creep and I hope he gets all the fair treatment he gave his victims.
But wait a minute. If it was a plea DEAL, wouldn’t the D.A. and the defense attorney have to agree on the terms – including the Cruz waiver – before the judge makes the order? That’s essentially what a plea deal is, yes? An agreement on terms between prosecution and defense. Correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s how I understand it.
So sorry for all involved, even his family…Just to sad.
Yup, sad… but in “Gil’s World” he would have been arrested on looks alone. (what the hell are those tattoos, his children?) Asshole.
A Judge might deny a Cruz Waver but the The D.A. and the Defendant’s Attorney would all have to agree first. It is a Plea deal.
“A Cruz waiver is a plea agreement, in which a defendant agrees that should she or he fail to appear at sentencing, a greater term can be imposed by the sentencing court. Defendant must be fully advised of, and waive, right to withdraw plea under Penal Code section 1192.7. (People v. Cruz (1988) 44 Cal.3d 1247; People v. Vargas (1990) 223 Cal.App.3d 1107.)”
If the DA’s office OK’d his release, then I consider the DA responsible for my friend’s death.
I will volunteer for whomever runs against him in the next election. No more victims of our DA’s office. Too many people have died, and their killers given generous plea deals to avoid… what? To avoid trial? Can the DA not win these cases? NO MORE VICTIMS!
I’m right there with you!
Cue the Amblyopia Defense in 3, 2, 1…
Something like 90% of all criminal cases are resolved through plea bargains. Unfortunately, our justice systems are a mess — underfunded and overstocked.
We lock up more people than any other civilized country in the world. California is under a Supreme Court order to reduce overcrowding in prisons down to a “humane” 137% of capacity.
The state’s solution has been realignment, shifting prisoners back to county jails and burdening county justice systems further. That’s only going to go so far, however — soon there will have to be choices made about which convicts to keep behind bars and which to release early.
“Tough on crime” is a great catch phrase. So is “three strikes and you’re out.” But they come with a price tag.
Yeah, umm, you shouldn’t plea out murder cases, the worst of the worst cases that come across a DA’s desk, especially when they are easy victories. Doing so, to me, demonstrates a callous disregard for the human lives lost.
The court system and prison system are a mess. 90+% of all court cases are handled by plea (and many of those are requested by the victim’s families). Our local jail is so overcrowded from State prison transfers that there is not room to keep people locked up pending their sentencing. Remember just a little while ago a woman was picked up and released three times in one day due to overcrowding. This guy was out on the streets for a number of reasons.
Allow me to repeat myself. You shouldn’t plea out murder cases, the worst of the worst cases that cross a DA’s desk. We can afford to keep murderers behind bars.
I heard that Warren was Dorothy’s son and he hacked her to death with a machete.
This is an unforgivable failure of the justice system. Keep violent offenders in jail, and let out those who commit victimless crimes.
I am not from the area, but this story is so sad.I hope the families of the victims know how much we are care about them.
I find it repulsive that people are using this tragedy to support their dislike of the District Attorney. It’s pretty obvious that “Fire Paul” is just waiting for any tragedy that can support her dislike of this man (probably Rose) .
It’s exploitative and shows little regard for the tragedy at hand, especially to those of us who had the please to know this wonderful, accomplished woman.
I can assure you that I truly mean no disrespect, and I apologize if that is how my comments have been interpreted.
Perhaps it is too soon to be discussing the issue, but I do strongly feel that mistakes have been made within our county’s legal system in which violent offenders, some of them repeat offenders, are allowed to go free, and some are not even charged with the crimes they committed. Warren is not the first, and I am certainly not the only person who is aware of this.
It goes without saying that this whole situation is incredibly sad and tragic, but it was also preventable. I think that is why I have reacted so angrily, and I suppose I let that get the better of me. While I still stand by my statements regarding Gallegos, I do apologize again if I have offended the loved ones of these four women.
For anyone interested in learning more about Cruz waivers, and how they relate to this case, KHUM is hosting a discussion today at 3 p.m. with a law professor.(104.3 & 104.7 FM)
I have been aware of all the community support and outreach regarding the three women tragically affected by this mad man. But I cannot help but notice that NO ONE is mentioning Dorothy Ulriche or her family… they are all supporting the families of the three women killed or injured in the accident.. but no one is supporting the other victim.. also a wife and a mother. she died a violent death at the hands of this mad man BEFORE he caused these horrible injuries and murder on these wonderful women… I cannot help but wonder.. is it because of her income level? her education level? her nationality? where she lives? do we not think she deserves to be recognized as well? how horrible for her family to constantly hear on the radio all the fundraising supported by the community for these women.. and not for their mother and wife… shame on us…