Charges Filed Against Man Shot by Officer

The district attorney’s office filed felony assault charges Monday against a driver shot during a confrontation with a California Highway Patrol officer in North Hollywood, saying the evidence on a videotape made by a news cameraman is “as good as it gets.”

The driver, Edward Pantoja, 30, posted $50,000 bail Friday but remains hospitalized in fair condition with multiple gunshot wounds at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills.

Prosecutors on Monday charged Pantoja with assaulting a police officer with a deadly weapon and evading an officer during a freeway chase Thursday that ended with the shooting. His arraignment is scheduled for May 30.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Craig Richmond, who handles crimes against police officers, said he based the charges on the videotape, which he described as “a good witness.”

Meanwhile, a relative of Pantoja says the San Fernando man is recovering from his wounds.

A videotape of the shooting shows CHP Officer Ronald Valencia walking up to the slowly moving car and moving in front of it. Yelling “Stop! Stop!” the officer fires more than half a dozen shots through the driver’s side of the windshield while Pantoja keeps the car slowly rolling toward the officer. After the shooting, Pantoja was captured in a nearby parking lot at Lankershim Boulevard and Moorpark Street.

Police say Pantoja tried to run over the officer. Valencia, 38, has never been in a shooting and remains on administrative duty until an internal review is completed.