SAN DIEGO (KGTV)- A 39-year-old man with an extensive criminal history is facing four felony charges after police say he drove a stolen Tesla onto the Pacific Beach boardwalk Monday afternoon, critically injuring a 25-year-old woman.
Juan Antonio Gonzaba is accused of stealing the Tesla, driving it onto the boardwalk at a high rate of speed, and striking the woman. San Diego police arrested Gonzaba after bystanders at the beach chased him to a nearby parking lot and got him on the ground.
Police said the owner of a Tesla called to report their vehicle stolen, telling authorities they were tracking the Tesla from their app. Police believe Gonzaba was driving under the influence at the time of the crash.
He is facing felony charges for DUI, hit-and-run, vehicle theft, and evading police.
Court records show Gonzaba has 18 previous criminal cases dating as far back as 2009, with the most recent cases happening last year. Those cases involved burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, auto theft, and attempted kidnapping, among other things. The cases span across San Diego, East County, and South County. Court records also show Gonzaba was in and out of prison throughout the years.
The crash sent shockwaves through the Pacific Beach community, with many witnesses saying they came close to being hit themselves.
"I never expected this to happen to me, so I was like, I didn't expect it to happen at all. I would never expect anybody to come down a boardwalk where people are walking and on their bicycles, you know, I mean, people aren't oblivious to even me on my bike, so I mean, I can't imagine a car," said Alex Srour.
Gonzaba is currently being held at San Diego Central Jail. His bail is set at $100,000. He is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.
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