A man who allegedly acted as the getaway driver in a residential burglary involving two other ex-cons pleaded not guilty Thursday to a murder charge stemming from a crash that killed a 66-year-old motorist in Industry.
Anthony Marcel Quisenberry, 35, was allegedly behind the wheel of a black Chevrolet Camaro that struck a small SUV at the intersection of Gale Avenue and Johnson Drive on May 31.
The SUV’s driver, Rojelio Gonzalez, of Downey, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Along with murder, Quisenberry is charged with one count each of first- degree residential burglary and assault upon a peace officer.
Quisenberry has prior convictions for first-degree residential burglary in 2000 and 2005, identity theft in 2003 and conspiracy to commit a crime in 2005, according to the criminal complaint.
Two men who were allegedly in the Camaro with Quisenberry — Charles Archer Allen, 32, of Hawthorne and Michael Vincent Smyer, 27, of Los Angeles — pleaded not guilty to one count each of first-degree residential burglary.
Prosecutors allege Allen has prior convictions for second-degree commercial burglary in 2011 and identity theft and forgery in 2012, and that Smyer was previously convicted of first-degree residential burglary in 2014.
The three men bailed out of the vehicle after the crash, but were apprehended later by sheriff’s deputies, according to Deputy District Attorney Marie Cox.
Deputies from the Industry station had responded to a burglary in progress in the 15200 block of Folger Street in Hacienda Heights. Witnesses told deputies that two men were seen kicking in a neighbor’s door, while a third man waited across the street in a Chevrolet Camaro.
Deputies spotted the black Camaro near the intersection of Gale and Gatlin avenues and began chasing the vehicle, but broke off the pursuit because the Camaro was being driven into oncoming traffic. Soon after, the deputies were notified the car had crashed into an SUV, according to authorities.
The three are due back in a Pomona courtroom on Oct. 20 to get a date for a preliminary hearing that will determine if there is enough evidence to require them to stand trial.
If convicted as charged, Quisenberry could face up to 31 years to life in state prison, while Allen and Smyer face possible maximum terms of 14 years and 17 years, respectively, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
–City News Service
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