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People v. Cowan

California Court of Appeals, Fourth District, First Division
Apr 21, 2008
No. D051563 (Cal. Ct. App. Apr. 21, 2008)

Opinion


THE PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. VERONICA COWAN, Defendant and Appellant. D051563 California Court of Appeal, Fourth District, First Division April 21, 2008

NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of San Diego County No. SCE266069, Charles W. Ervin, Judge.

McCONNELL, P. J.

Veronica Cowan was found guilty in a bench trial of evading an officer with reckless driving (Veh. Code, § 2800.2, subd. (a)) and she admitted serving six prior prison terms (Pen. Code, §§ 667.5, subd. (b), 668). The court sentenced her to eight years in prison: the two-year middle term and one year for each prior. Cowan appeals. We affirm.

BACKGROUND

Shortly after 3:00 a.m. on November 6, 2006, a sheriff's deputy stopped Cowan in Lakeside because her car's registration was expired. She gave the deputy her identification and he returned to his patrol car to conduct a license and records check. He discovered she had a felony parole warrant, radioed for assistance, and walked back to her car. As he approached, she sped off. During the ensuing chase, Cowan ran stop signs and red lights, drove on the wrong side of the road, drove on the double yellow lines of the center divider, and reached a speed of about 110 miles per hour. Traffic was light during the chase.

After Cowan's tire was punctured by a spike strip, she continued driving and struck a guardrail. One of her tires came off and her car stopped. She got out of the car and ran. When deputies caught her, she struggled. It took three deputies to handcuff her. They found amphetamine on her person.

Cowan testified she had a 20-year history of substance and alcohol abuse. She did well on parole, but after her father died in September 2006 she resumed her substance abuse. She had been drinking and using drugs before she was stopped. She fled from the deputy because she was scared.

DISCUSSION

Appointed appellate counsel has filed a brief summarizing the facts and proceedings below. She presents no argument for reversal, but asks this court to review the record for error as mandated by People v. Wende (1979) 25 Cal.3d 436. Pursuant to Anders v. California (1967) 386 U.S. 738, she lists, as a possible but not arguable issue, whether the court abused its discretion by denying Cowan's request for probation and commitment to the Delancey Street drug treatment program.

We granted Cowan permission to file a brief on her own behalf. She has not responded. A review of the record pursuant to People v. Wende, supra, 25 Cal.3d 436, including the possible issue listed pursuant to Anders v. California, supra, 386 U.S. 738, has disclosed no reasonably arguable appellate issues. Cowan has been competently represented by counsel on this appeal.

DISPOSITION

The judgment is affirmed.

WE CONCUR: HUFFMAN, J., HALLER, J.


Summaries of

People v. Cowan

California Court of Appeals, Fourth District, First Division
Apr 21, 2008
No. D051563 (Cal. Ct. App. Apr. 21, 2008)
Case details for

People v. Cowan

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. VERONICA COWAN, Defendant and…

Court:California Court of Appeals, Fourth District, First Division

Date published: Apr 21, 2008

Citations

No. D051563 (Cal. Ct. App. Apr. 21, 2008)