By Troy Torres
(Tumon, Guam) A Superior Court judge released self-admitted career criminal and convicted sex offender Mariano Quinata earlier this year, allowing him to violate his pre-trial release conditions and lead police on a chase.
Prosecutor Jeremy Kemper, in his declaration of probable cause issued against Mr. Quinata, said that yesterday “at approximately 4:30 a.m. (Guam Police Department) officers on patrol noted a green Nissan Sentra drifting between lanes in Maite. The vehicle also ran a red light and crossed over a solid white line. Due to the erratic driving, the operator of the vehicle was suspected to be intoxicated. Officers activated the police cruiser lights and sirens to effectuate a traffic stop. The suspect vehicle pulled over to the side of the road, but after the officer stepped out of his patrol vehicle, the suspect vehicle sped away.”
Police officers followed Mr. Quinata from Maite to Agat. During the chase he made several traffic violations, “weaving in and out of traffic and crossing the lanes without using turn signals.” He eventually turned off onto a dirt road, where the occupants of the vehicle jumped out.
Mr. Quinata has several outstanding warrants.
He was convicted in 2014 for third-degree criminal sexual conduct against a 14-year-old girl, and registered as a level 3 sex offender.
Mr. Quinata had not spent much time in prison for his crime. In 2016 he was charged with family violence. In 2017 he was charged with reckless driving.
On May 16, 2019, police officers arrested Mr. Quinata again for possession of methamphetamine, when an ice pipe was found in his pocket during a traffic stop.
In this latest magistrate’s complaint, Mr. Kemper accuses Mr. Quinata of the crime of Eluding a Police Officer - Timothy B.C. Flores - by failing or refusing to stop when signaled to do so.
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