Asatur Tokatlyan
February 23, 2006
West Hollywood, California
KCBS-TV Channel 2
(Los Angeles, California)
February 27, 2006
Man Charged With Murder After Cabbie's Death
(CBS) LOS ANGELES An Inglewood man was charged with
murder and other counts Monday as a result of last week's high-
speed police chase in West Hollywood that ended with a pickup
truck slamming into a taxi, killing the cab driver.
Prosecutors may seek the death penalty against Jeremy
Peterson, 29, of Inglewood because the murder count contains
the special-circumstance allegation of flight during an attempted
kidnapping, according to the District Attorney's Office. He also is
charged with attempted kidnapping, evading an officer and
causing death.
Peterson is scheduled to be arraigned Monday afternoon in Los
Angeles Superior Court.
The cabbie, 42-year-old Asatur Tokatlyan, died on the way to the
hospital from injuries he suffered in the 4:30 a.m. Thursday
crash at Santa Monica Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue, Kevin
Maiberger of the Los Angeles Police Department said last week.
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KNBC-TV Channel 4
(Los Angeles, California)
May 17, 2006
Man Accused Of Pursuit Crash That Killed Cab Driver Enters
Plea
POSTED: 12:09 pm PDT May 17, 2006
LOS ANGELES -- The family of a slain taxi driver looked on as a
man accused of leading police on a chase that ended with a
crash that killed the cabbie pleaded not guilty Wednesday to
murder and other charges.
Jeremy Peterson, 29, of Inglewood, is charged in connection with
the Feb. 23 death of Asatur Tokatlyan of Hollywood, whose cab
he allegedly broadsided after leading police on a brief high-
speed pursuit.
The murder charge includes the special circumstance allegation
that the killing occurred while Peterson was fleeing from an
attempted kidnapping.
Peterson is also charged with attempted kidnapping, evading
police and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
The chase followed a woman's report to authorities, via cell
phone, that she was being followed by a man in a white pickup
truck. The woman claimed the driver got out of the truck and
tried to grab her.
While officers were talking to the woman, she pointed out the
truck. Police gave chase as the driver sped north on Fairfax
Avenue and crashed into the taxi at Santa Monica Boulevard
about 4:30 a.m.
Tokatlyan, a 42-year-old married father of two young children,
died on the way to the hospital.
"We just want a fair trial, that's all," Tokatlyan's sister, Gnazand
Koganyan, said outside the courtroom after the brief hearing. "I
(wish) this never happened. We did not want to be in this
situation."
Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner James N. Bianco
ordered Peterson held without bail pending his next court
appearance June 22. A date is scheduled to be set then for a
hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to require him
to stand trial.
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Press-Telegram
Long Beach, CA
Inglewood man convicted in death of L.A. taxi driver
Article Launched: 11/16/2007 08:27:52 PM PST
LOS ANGELES - A 30-year-old Inglewood man was convicted Friday of manslaughter and other crimes for the death of a cab driver during a police chase in the Fairfax District, but a jury deadlocked on whether he was guilty of capital murder.
Jeremy Peterson was found guilty of attempted kidnapping, evading police and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated for the death of taxi driver Asatur Tokatlyan.
The panel also convicted him of possession of a controlled substance, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and being a habitual traffic offender.
He faces a possible life sentence, but the jury split 6-6 on a murder charge that could have made him eligible for the death penalty.
In February 2006, a woman called police on a cell phone to report that she was being followed by a man in a white pickup truck. The woman claimed the man got out of the truck and tried to grab her.
While officers were talking to the woman, she saw the truck, driven by Peterson.
Police gave chase as Peterson sped north on Fairfax Avenue and crashed into Tokatlyan's taxi at Santa Monica Boulevard about 4:30 a.m.
The 42-year-old married father of two died on the way to the hospital.
The Los Angeles County district attorney's office has not decided whether to retry Peterson for murder.
He is due back in court Dec. 14 for sentencing.
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KNBC.com
Los Angeles, CA
December 14, 2007
DUI Driver Sentenced In Cabbie Killing
LOS ANGELES -- A drunken driver who killed a 42-year-old cabdriver during a police chase was sentenced Friday to 15 years to life in prison.
Jeremy Peterson, 30, was convicted last month of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, evading a peace officer causing death, driving under the influence, possession of a controlled substance and being a habitual traffic offender.
The jury deadlocked on a charge of second-degree murder.
Judge Judith Champagne sentenced Peterson to 15 years to life in prison, plus 10 years and 8 months, with the terms to run consecutively. Peterson was also sentenced to two years and six months to run concurrently.
The victim's sister had asked that Peterson be sentenced to life in prison.
Anahid Ananaslyn said her brother, Asatur Tokatlyan, was a beloved husband and father of two young children who will never see his son and daughter grow up.
"Jeremy Peterson decided to go out and get drunk and get behind the wheel without thinking of the consequences," Ananaslyn said as Peterson sat nearby in handcuffs.
"(My brother) will never walk his daughter to her first day of school, or walk her down the aisle on her wedding day," she said. "We feel empty inside -- life for us will never be the same."
In February 2006, a woman called police about 4:30 a.m. and said she was being followed by a man in a white pickup truck who had gotten out of the truck and tried to grab her.
While officers were talking to the woman at Third Street and Fairfax Avenue, she saw the truck, driven by Peterson.
Police gave chase as Peterson sped north on Fairfax Avenue and crashed broadside into Tokatlyan's taxi at Santa Monica Boulevard. Tokatlyan died on the way to the hospital.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has not yet decided whether to retry Peterson for murder, a spokeswoman said.
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San Jose Mercury News
San Jose, California
12/14/2007
Drunken driver sentenced in death of cabbie
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES—A drunken driver who struck and killed a cab driver while fleeing police was sentenced Friday to more than 25 years in prison.
Jeremy Peterson, 30, was convicted in November of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, evading a peace officer causing death, driving under the influence, possession of a controlled substance and being a habitual traffic offender.
On Friday, Superior Court Judge Judith Champagne sentenced him to 15 years to life in prison, plus 10 years and 8 months, with the terms to run consecutively.
The jury deadlocked on a charge of second-degree murder.
Attempts to reach an attorney for Peterson Friday night were unsuccessful.
In February of 2006, Peterson's pickup truck collided with the taxi of 42-year-old Asatur Tokatlyan.
Authorities said the chase began after a woman called police to report she was being followed by a man who had gotten out of his truck and tried to grab her.
Police said Peterson drove by as they were interviewing the woman, and she pointed him out, starting the chase.
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