SALINAS — 25-year-old Christopher Markert of Aromas will be spending the next 6 years and 8 months in prison for multiple counts of evading police and stealing cars, in accordance with a sentence handed down by Superior Court Judge Andrew Liu on June 30th.
Officers attempted to stop Markert in November of 2015 when he was seen driving a stolen Acura SUV which still had its original paper license plates, which led to a high-speed chase down Highway 1. Markert even collided with another vehicle and did not stop.
He was spotted again in the Northridge Shopping Center in Salinas in a stolen Honda and was seen trying to steal another Honda from the parking lot. Police again attempted to detain him, but he entered the vehicle and attempted to drive away. Markert once again managed to maneuver officers and fled the scene at a high speed.
Two days later, police spotted Markert in Watsonville trying to steal yet another Honda. This time, however, he tried to evade them on foot and was quickly apprehended.
In addition to the felony charges, he also pleaded guilty to enhancement of a prior auto theft conviction. The case was investigated by several law enforcement agencies included MADCAT, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Highway Patrol and District Attorney Investigators.
