Cerritos Burglar Who Shot at Police Sentenced to 105 Years in Prison

A 36-year-old man who went on a Southland burglary spree in 2007 -- including breaking into a Cerritos home -- and opened fire on a pursuing police officer during a chase in Buena Park was sentenced today to 105 years to life in prison.

Jeremy Robert Bowles was convicted Oct. 18 of multiple felonies, including attempted murder on a peace officer, robbery, burglary and grand theft.

Bowles' punishment was escalated by his lengthy prior criminal record. Orange County Superior Court Judge William Froeberg denied the defendant's motion for a new trial before handing down the sentence.

Froeberg noted Bowles, in interviews with investigators, "claimed to have committed thousands of burglaries."

Bowles was given credit for 2,526 days in custody, including two leap year days.

Following the Sept. 18, 2008, morning rush-hour chase on the Santa Ana Freeway, Bowles initially eluded a police search of a neighborhood, forcing a teenager to hide him in the trunk of a car and drive him out of the police perimeter.

Deputy District Attorney Dan Varon said Bowles broke into seven homes between Feb. 4 and Feb. 23, 2007, in Fullerton, Fountain Valley, Cerritos and La Mirada, sometimes when the residents were home, and took belongings including three cars, power tools, a flat-screen TV, a purse with $100 in cash and a gun. One victim was an Orange County Fire Authority firefighter, Varon added.

Police tracked down Bowles and the firefighter's stolen Lexus at a motel Feb. 25, 2007, Varon said. Police recovered much of the stolen property in the motel room, including the firefighter's cellphone, which had a picture of Bowles in it that was apparently taken by the defendant, Varon said.

Bowles was free on bail more than a year later when he stole a car in Buena Park Aug. 28, 2008, according to the prosecutor.

At about 8:30 a.m. Sept. 18, 2008, Buena Park police Officer Pedro Montez pulled over a car with co-defendant Thomas Cho and Bowles inside near the  northbound onramp of the Santa Ana (5) Freeway at Artesia Boulevard, Varon said.

"Just as (Montez) was getting out of the car he sees the defendant reach out of the car and pull the trigger," Varon said.

Cho, who was driving, sped onto the freeway, and the defendant opened fire again, Varon said.

At speeds exceeding 80 mph, the gunman leaned out of the vehicle again and "squeezes off another three shots," Varon said, adding that no one was hurt in the chase or shooting.

The chase continued on Valley View Avenue into La Mirada, where Bowles hopped out, but Cho stopped a short distance away, Varon said.

Meanwhile, Bowles broke into a home within the police containment area, the prosecutor said. One of the residents, then-17-year-old Victor Ramirez Jr., helped Bowles hide because he was afraid the intruder would hurt his family, Varon said.

Ramirez eventually put Bowles in the trunk of his car and drove him outside the police search area, the prosecutor told jurors.

Bowles' DNA was found in the vehicle involved in the chase as well as on a hat found on the freeway, Varon said.

Cho, who was driving the car, was convicted March 22 of last year of shooting from the vehicle at a police officer, assault with a deadly weapon and reckless evasion, and he was sentenced May 18 to 13 years in prison, according to his attorney Elia Naqvi.

Bowles and Cho face attempted murder charges in Los Angeles County, Varon said. The two are charged in connection with the shooting of a drug dealer the night before Bowles skipped a preliminary hearing on burglary charges in Orange County, Sept. 16, 2008, Varon said.

- City News Service