SANTA ANA (CNS) - A 20-year-old accused gang member with a robbery conviction was charged today in connection with a drive-by shooting in Anaheim that killed a 23-year-old father of two.
Franky Mejia Echeverria of Anaheim was arrested about 3:30 a.m. Friday is connection with the Dec. 21 shooting of David Gutierrez Hernandez, who had no gang ties, according to Anaheim Police Department Sgt. Shane Carringer.
Echeverria was charged with assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, shooting from a motor vehicle, assault with a firearm, vandalism and participating in criminal street gang activity, all felonies.
Echeverria also faces sentencing enhancements for gang activity and being a gang member in a vicarious discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury.
Echeverria was arrested at Beach Boulevard and Ball Road in Anaheim.
Echeverria is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday along with co- defendant Damien Ruvalcava, 21, of Costa Mesa, who is charged with vandalism, assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, shooting from a car, assault with a firearm and participation in criminal street gang activity, all felonies.
Ruvalcava also faces sentencing enhancements for gang activity and being a gang member with vicarious discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury, according to court records.
Police were called about 4:15 p.m. Dec. 21 to the 2100 block of East Balsam Avenue, near State College Boulevard, regarding the drive-by shooting, Carringer said.
Echeverria pleaded guilty to robbery in December 2020 and sentenced to two years in prison.
Ruvalcava, who authorities said was in the same car as Echeverria at the time of the shooting, was arrested March 3 in the 800 block of 13th Street in Westminster, Carringer said.
Ruvalcava was convicted in Juvenile Court in May 2018 of robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury and participating in a street gang, according to court records.