Man seen stealing work truck on live TV was felon on parole for similar crimes

Suspect who went on wild police chase had criminal past

Johnny Anchondo, 32, is a felon on parole for similar crimes more than a year ago.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. - The man behind the madness that included multiple alleged car break-ins, a carjacking caught on live TV and a lengthy police chase stretching across parts of Los Angeles and Orange Counties has been identified Thursday.

It all started from a traffic stop in Fullerton Wednesday evening. After the suspect, 32-year-old Johnny Anchondo, refused to pull over, a police chase ensued. Anchondo then allegedly stole a white van and when he got cornered by officers in an apartment complex parking lot in Orange County, he backed into one of the cop cars behind him and took off.

After extending the chase to Whittier in LA County, he ditched the van and ran off on foot. Anchondo then broke into a nearby home and – on live television – he stole a family's work truck and took off from the driveway, once again extending the crime spree and the police chase. The violent carjacking left the pickup truck owner's mother with a hand injury.

Since his arrest Wednesday night, FOX 11 has learned Anchondo was convicted in December 2021 of felony evasion and attempted carjacking. He pled and was sentenced behind bars for 18 months but served less than 6 months.

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FOX 11's Phil Shuman spoke with a victim of the 2021 incident. The victim from that incident was confused on how Anchondo ended up back on the streets in 2022.

"He tried to carjack me at the liquor store, which you're not going to take my vehicle," said Paul Sperry, the 2021 victim. "If he's still in jail, none of these people would have been hurt."

Anchondo is currently being held for violating parole.