Juan Antonio Gonzaba, 39, pleaded not guilty Wednesday after allegedly stealing a Tesla and plowing into a crowded San Diego boardwalk during a chaotic Monday police chase.
The suspect faces up to 24 years and eight months in state prison if convicted on all charges tied to the stolen vehicle and the injuries inflicted on a 25-year-old woman, who remained hospitalized with two fractured right ribs, two fractured vertebrae and an abdominal laceration as of Wednesday.
Gonzaba’s arraignment nearly matched the chase for drama. He reportedly acted erratically in court and began banging his head against a glass wall, while the judge repeatedly ordered him to remain quiet.
The suspect’s criminal past soon came to light. Gonzaba has an “extensive criminal history” involving assault, battery, burglary and grand theft, according to NBC 7.
The chase began around 12:30 p.m. Monday when Gonzaba allegedly stole the Tesla in La Jolla and was spotted by officers attempting to pull him over. He sped away, later slammed into a roadside electrical transformer, then continued toward the Pacific Beach Boardwalk.
“A lot of people dove out of the way very quickly and it really could have been so much worse,” Candace Hadley, a San Diego Fire Department public information officer, said San Diego Monday.
“This is a very busy boardwalk, having someone drive through this area is incredibly frightening.”
Terrified pedestrians scattered as the Tesla barreled through. The 25-year-old victim was struck before Gonzaba abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot.
Bystanders gave chase, with one witness capturing the pursuit through Meta smart glasses. Alex Srour, wearing the glasses, witnessed the chaos and began sprinting after Gonzaba before police took him into custody.
Gonzaba is suspected of being under the influence at the time of the incident. Results from a blood test remain pending.
The stolen Tesla spree marked the latest in a string of alleged crimes for Gonzaba, whose record spans multiple categories of offenses. The assault, battery, burglary and grand theft in his history surfaced publicly as prosecutors outlined the potential sentence of nearly 25 years.
The Monday afternoon timeline unfolded rapidly: theft in La Jolla, the 12:30 p.m. Police spotting, the transformer collision, the boardwalk strike, the foot pursuit by citizens, and finally police custody.
The injured woman’s hospitalization extended through the arraignment, with her fractures and laceration representing the physical toll of the boardwalk intrusion. Police confirmed her injuries and status.
Gonzaba’s not guilty plea came despite the multiple charges and the documented chase sequence. The erratic courtroom behavior added another layer to proceedings already dense with allegations.