KINGMAN – Trial has begun for a Kingman man charged in a deadly police pursuit 13 months ago. Deputy Mohave County attorney James Schoppmann told the superior court jury Wednesday that Juan Ortiz is guilty of murder, aggravated assault, unlawful flight and criminal damage charges.
Schoppmann said two police detectives used their unmarked vehicles to block Ortiz’s vehicle in a bay at the Airway Avenue car wash on January 26, 2024.
Schoppmann said Ortiz used his vehicle to ram both law enforcement units to escape the car wash. He said Ortiz had methamphetamine in his system when he ignored pursuing officers and their lights and sirens during a 10-minute chase that ended when he “blew through” a stop sign at about 60 miles an hour, colliding with a civilian vehicle, resulting in the death of Sarah Bingham, 21, Kingman.
Defense attorney Paul Ramos did not contest Schoppmann’s presentation, though he said poor lighting limited his client’s ability to perceive what was transpiring as he heard shots fired by two of the officers involved as he sped away.
Ramos urged the jury to carefully consider each of the chapters in a trial he likened to a book. One chapter of focus was the January 4, 2024 police pursuit of Ortiz that a detective terminated for the sake of public safety.
Ramos said the jury should consider why the first pursuit was terminated, but not the second.
“There’s no getting around this. A death occurred,” Ramos said. “This is heartbreaking.”
The trial is expected to conclude Wednesday, March 5.
Dave Hawkins
Deadly chase trial underway in Kingman
