Hearing Re-set for Defendant Charged With Carjacking, Assaulting Officer

An Arizona man accused of carjacking and assaulting police during incidents in Mission Viejo, Pasadena, Glendale and Burbank last may has had his preliminary hearing reset from Jan. 25 to Feb. 26.
Johnny Paul Siganoff, also known as Frank Siganoff, and John Szabo, 33, of Phoenix, are being processed at the Pasadena Branch of the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office, Siganoff was charged with one felony count each of driving or taking a vehicle without consent, carjacking, assault upon a peace officer, two felony counts of attempted carjacking and three felony counts of resisting arrest.
Prosecutors said Siganoff stole a sports utility vehicle (SUV) belonging to a gas station clerk in Mission Viejo last May 30, and crashed it into another vehicle on the 210 Freeway near Hill Avenue in Pasadena.
The suspect then drove the carjacked SUV into Glendale, and crashed with two other vehicles on the 134 Freeway at Harvey Drive. He then tried to carjack those vehicles before fleeing in the SUV.
California Highway Patrol (CHP) gave chase. For a third time, Siganoff crashed into another car, tried unsuccessfully to carjack its driver, returned to the SUV, and resumed his flight.
Officials said a CHP officer ultimately rammed and disabled the suspect’s SUV along Riverside Drive, near the 134 Freeway in Burbank, where the officers subdued and took him into custody.
Siganoff, who pleaded not guilty to the charges last June 4, is looking at nine years in prison if convicted. He is currently in custody, with bail set at $300,000.