Failure to pay VTA train fee by violent criminal leads to third strike
26-year-old Jimmy Miranda Jr. was arrested on Saturday, August 1, for more than 12 misdemeanor and felony counts. Miranda had failed to obey officers at a light rail station, where it was suspected that he had been riding the train and didn’t pay for his ticket. When removed from the train, he then threatened officers with a gun. He then began to run after he brandished the gun at SJPD officers, firing several shots at them.
The officers gave chase, firing several rounds back at the suspect, but missed him as Miranda ducked into a parking garage and attempted to carjack a vehicle. He failed getting the first one, but he soon succeeded in carjacking another vehicle from a couple. No one was hurt, but the victims were badly shaken by the incident.
Miranda entered the parking garage on foot and carjacked a vehicle.
While trying to exit the parking garage, Miranda drove towards responding officers and tried to ram into them with the vehicle he had just carjacked. Miranda missed the officers and drove out of the garage, leading SJPD Patrol Officers and California Highway Patrol Officers on a high speed chase through the streets of San Jose, and then along Highway 87, where he exited onto Alameda Street in South San Jose.
Miranda continued to drive erratically through the streets when he crashed into a couple near Branham Lane and Almaden Expressway in South San Jose. The couple in the vehicle suffered moderate injuries from the crash, and so did Miranda. He was detained and taken to a local hospital, where he was treated for his injuries sustained during the crash.
Miranda is now being held on a 2.5 million dollar bail, and is facing his third strike, which could place him in prison for more than 20 years once convicted.
Miranda is facing four counts of attempted homicide under PC 664/187, carjacking under PC 215, carrying an illegal firearm under PC 25850 (A), resisting arrest under PC 148(A), and possession of burglary tools under PC 466. Miranda is also facing charges for HS 11550(A), being under the influence of a controlled substance, VC 10851(A), theft of a vehicle, VC 20001(A), hit and run that resulted in injury, and VC 2800.2(A), driving in willful disregard for the safety of others.
