One of two gunmen accused of carjacking a Dominos Pizza delivery driver in Lincoln Park must stand trial on robbery and other charges, a judge ruled Monday.
Oscar Mancha, 29, faces 33 years in state prison if convicted.
Jeffrey Koza, 30, had just delivered a pizza on Solola Avenue and was walking back to his car about 10:30 p.m. Dec. 5 when he was approached by a man with a gun, who told him, “Give me all you’ve got,” San Diego Police Officer Jackilyn Lowry testified. Lowry said Koza told her that he dropped his pizza bag and gave the robber his wallet. Koza noticed there was someone else behind his car with a gun and took off running across a parking lot to get away. The victim told investigators the suspects got in his car and drove off, Lowry testified. About 10 minutes later, National City police officers spotted the stolen car on East First Street near D Avenue. The driver sped off and crashed the stolen car a few blocks away, and both suspects ran off. A police helicopter helped officers catch Mancha, but the second suspect got away.
Judge Joan Weber ruled that enough evidence was presented at today’s preliminary hearing for Mancha to proceed to trial on charges of conspiracy to commit carjacking and robbery, evading police, robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
A readiness conference was set for March 14 and trial for March 22.
—City News Service
