OCEANSIDE — Jury selection was scheduled to begin today in the retrial of a man charged with intentionally running down an Oceanside motorcycle officer during a routine traffic stop.
Roberto Ignacio Flores, 30, was previously found guilty in 2017 of attempted murder, but his conviction and 29-year-to-life prison sentence were overturned by an appellate court panel that ruled his attorney ignored the defendant’s argument that he was innocent of the crime.
In the retrial, Flores is charged with attempted murder and assault on a peace officer and faces 20 years to life in prison if convicted.
Flores is accused of driving a Dodge Neon that struck Oceanside police Officer Brad Hunter on June 19, 2017. The crash left the lawman hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. Hunter, a 29-year veteran of the department, was later forced to medically retire.
The officer was struck while pulling over a driver for expired registration near Oceanside Boulevard and Foussat Road.
Flores, who was not involved in the traffic stop, allegedly accelerated and veered directly into Hunter, who was flung up and flipped over the defendant’s car. Hunter suffered head injuries and his leg was broken in three places. The officer had to be placed in a coma until swelling on the brain subsided.
Flores sped away but was captured a few minutes later, according to prosecutors.
Flores’ original conviction in the case was overturned because a three-justice appellate panel ruled that Flores’ Sixth Amendment rights were violated, as he was not allowed to present the defense of his choice.
His attorney argued at trial that while Flores was the driver, he did not have the intent to kill required for an attempted murder conviction, while Flores insisted he was innocent. Flores also disagreed with his lawyer’s concession on weapons possession charges related to a collection of guns found at the defendant’s home.
Prosecutors allege that after his arrest, Flores bragged to a sheriff’s detective posing as an inmate, as well as a confidential informant, that he struck Hunter with the car.
