Vehicles: fleeing a peace officer.

Existing law requires a person who is convicted of willfully fleeing or attempting to elude a pursuing peace officer while operating a motor vehicle and who proximately causes serious bodily injury or death to any person to be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for one of the specified terms, by confinement in a county jail for not less than 6 months nor more than one year, by a specified fine, or by both that fine and imprisonment. Existing law also requires a person who is convicted of willfully fleeing or attempting to elude a pursuing peace officer while operating a motor vehicle, and who willfully drives that vehicle on a highway in a direction opposite to that in which the traffic lawfully moves upon that highway, to be punished by imprisonment, or a fine, or by both that fine and imprisonment. This bill would increase the penalty for those persons who are so convicted, if the person is on parole, postrelease supervision, postrelease community supervision, or probation for a felony, or who is a defendant serving a specified sentence. By adding to the elements of an offense to increase punishment, thereby imposing new proof requirements, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.