Man accepts plea agreement and 9-year sentence after violent 2012 altercation with Costa Mesa police

A 31-year-old man accused of ramming a stolen truck into a Costa Mesa police officer’s car in 2012 pleaded guilty Wednesday and was sentenced to nine years in prison after a judge declared a mistrial in the proceedings against him.

Trial for Vincent Joseph Leon began last week but ended abruptly when a Costa Mesa police detective inadvertently revealed during his testimony that Leon was on parole in 2012, according to court records.

Between 2004 and 2008, Leon was convicted of four felonies in Orange County: vehicle theft, sales of a controlled substance and two counts of burglary.

But Superior Court Judge Cheri Pham decided that jurors should not hear about Leon’s criminal history because it could unduly influence their decision about the accusations at hand, Deputy District Atty. Renee Jones said.

When Leon’s defense attorney motioned for the mistrial Wednesday, Pham agreed the process had been tainted and dismissed the jury.

Pham said the case could be retried with a new panel, according to court records, but Leon instead opted to accept a plea agreement she offered.

Pham immediately sentenced Leon to the prison term and a lifetime ban on driving after he pleaded guilty to all the charges against him: aggravated assault on a peace officer and two counts of theft.

Leon’s maximum sentence could’ve been 18 years in prison, Jones said.

This resolution comes almost four years after the violent altercation between Costa Mesa police and Leon at a motel in the city.

According to authorities, an officer was using LoJack to track a stolen Nissan truck when the device’s signal led him to the New Harbor Inn at 2205 Harbor Blvd. around 6 a.m. on July 5, 2012.

When the officer saw two men in the truck, he got out of his car and ordered them to show their hands, according to court documents.

But police allege the truck instead backed up to face the squad car, revved its engine and then rammed into the cruiser’s passenger-side door.

When the truck backed up and revved its engine again, the officer opened fire, police said.

After ramming the patrol car one more time, the truck’s driver fled, according to authorities.

Police arrested Leon about a week later based on a description provided by the truck’s passenger, who’d jumped out of the Nissan and surrendered during the commotion, according to court documents.

In court papers Leon’s attorneys argued the officer actually opened fire before the truck hit the car.

They alleged this caused Leon to accidentally drive forward into the cruiser. Leon then allegedly fled, in fear for his life.

In 2014, the District Attorney’s office decided the officer was justified in shooting at the truck.