Briefly In Public Safety

Man accused of three sexual assaults in court

A former Ladera Ranch man accused of sexually assaulting three Southern California women before fleeing abroad was scheduled to stand trial Thursday.

Ali Achekzai, 33, was on the Orange County district attorney’s Most Wanted List until his capture in Austria in 2010, according to a news release from the D.A.’s office.

Achekzai is facing six felony charges, including forcible rape, sexual penetration by foreign object by force and aggravated assault, as well as sentencing enhancements for allegedly committing sexual crimes against multiple victims, according to the release.

He is accused of assaults in Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach and San Diego County against women between the ages of 21 and 24, according to the D.A.’s office.

In one instance, Achekzai is accused of repeatedly punching a woman and threatening to kill her if she screamed.

Prosecutors also claim Achekzai lured one woman to his car under the pretense of warning her about another man at a nightclub. The victim became scared and tried to run, but Achekzai chased her and led her to her car where he assaulted her, prosecutors said.

If convicted, Achekzai could serve 68 years and four months in state prison.

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Police detain man found in reportedly stolen car

A man was stopped and detained by Laguna Beach police Dec. 1 after it was discovered he was in possession of a reportedly stolen vehicle from Colorado.

At around 2 p.m., an officer ran the license plate of a blue Chevy Suburban, which had one male inside and was in the Laguna Beach Public Library parking lot, according to Lt. Jason Kravetz.

Dispatch confirmed that the car was reported stolen Nov. 10 in Colorado. The man attempted to flee when confronted by police but was detained near the front of the library.

He has been taken to the police station but has not been booked. Kravetz said they are detaining him pending the outcome of the investigation. Police are attempting to contact the owner of the vehicle. The driver told police the owner is his father.

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Police: Son took father’s car

An Irvine man was arrested for auto theft after officers initiated a traffic stop at Glenneyre Street and St. Ann’s Drive on Dec. 2, according to Kravetz.

Chaz LaBaun Henton, 18, was stopped at 2:17 a.m. in a 1998 black Ford Escort with two 17-year-old boys, also from Irvine. The juveniles were detained for curfew and released to their parents.

According to police, the car belonged to Henton’s father.

— Lauren Williams and Joanna Clay