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Laurel resident Flavio Cesar Lanuza made a deal with prosecutors after doing his best Grand Theft Auto following an incident that saw him intentionally ram multiple state police vehicles, drive through power lines, the Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office announced on Thursday.
The incident began at around 5:15 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 16, when state police were called to Beltsville Drive in Prince George's County for a reported stolen Maryland Department of Transportation CHART vehicle.
Lanuza's stolen yellow Ford-450 tow truck was first spotted by troopers heading west on MD 212 at which point they attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but instead of slowing down, he made an evasive maneuver onto Beltsville Drive, prompting a call for backup from other troopers.
According to court documents, Lanuza proceeded to several commercial parking lots along Beltsville Drive, and when troopers attempted to box him in, the pick-up truck drove off the paved lot, into a grassy area, where he struck several low-hanging power lines, which were destroyed.
Lanuza was undeterred.
The truck was trailed for a few more minutes before entering the area of Cherry Hill Road, where state police attempted a low-speed roadblock, so Lanuza barreled through a marker unit.
Lanuza struck several more police vehicles before going off-road onto Gracefield Road and into the parking lot of a gas station in the area.
Court documents state he made a U-turn and exited the parking lot, hitting another cruiser and pushing it more than 50 feet, sending the trooper to the hospital.
Lanuza continued terrorizing the roadways, going the wrong way on East Randolph Road, made several abrupt turns and began striking parked cars in the neighborhood, taking the pursuit onto a one-way housing development.
Police say that stop sticks were then deployed, deflating all four tires, but Lanuza carried on without tires, riding on the truck's rims, in the wrong direction, striking at least seven more vehicles before ultimately going to another gas station, heading off the road and finally being the soft ground did what the troopers were having trouble to do and stopped him in hiss tracks.
Lanuza remained defiant, ignoring demands to exit the vehicle, and it took three troopers to get him out of the vehicle, and when they did get him on the ground, he placed his hands under his body and used his strength to avoid being handcuffed.
After a brief struggle, three officers were able to apprehend him and place him under arrest.
In total, it is believed that Cesar Lanuza struck 13 vehicles, which led to a civilian and two law enforcement members, a Maryland state trooper, Lanuza, and a Montgomery County Police officer being taken to area hospitals for treatment of undisclosed injuries.
The pursuit lasted more than 30 minutes.
Lanuza pleaded guilty to:
- Second-degree assault on a law enforcement officer;
- Fleeing and eluding marked police vehicle by failing to stop vehicle resulting in bodily injury;
- Eleven counts of failure to return and remain at the scene of an accident.
- Charges in Prince George's County are also pending as of Thursday, Sept. 12.
When he is sentenced in December, Lanuza faces up to 14 years and 10 months in prison.
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