North Hollywood standoff suspect pleads not guilty to stalking, threatening ex-gf
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The suspect accused of leading police on a wild pursuit, climbing a rooftop with an assault rifle and barricading himself inside a North Hollywood home Monday appeared in court Thursday on unrelated charges.
Nolan Perez, 41, was arraigned on one felony count of stalking and six felony counts of making criminal threats to an ex-girlfriend in a Los Angeles courtroom Thursday.
The criminal complaint alleges he stalked his ex-girlfriend between May 19 and June 6, and that he made six criminal threats on six occasions between May 19 and June 14.
Perez has not yet been charged in connection to Monday's dramatic chase and bizarre standoff.
The pursuit began after Perez was spotted in the El Sereno area at about 10:15 a.m. Monday. When officers tried to make contact, Perez fled in a red Nissan Altima.
He sped down several freeways before exiting Magnolia Boulevard on the 170 Freeway. He then stopped his vehicle, got out and fled on foot with what appeared to be an assault rifle.
After spending time on the roof of a garage, Perez entered a house and a four-hour barricade situation with police began.
Nearby schools were locked down, and a private school close to the barricade situation was evacuated.
Soon after the kids were safely away from the crime scene, police fired tear gas canisters into the home where Perez was holed up. He came out a few minutes later unarmed. SWAT officers moved in and took Perez into custody without further incident.
The District Attorney's Office says LAPD detectives are still investigating the incident.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Renee Korn ordered that Perez be held in lieu of $1 million bail.
The criminal complaint alleges that Perez has prior convictions for domestic violence in 2011, being a felon in possession of a firearm in 2007 and negligent discharge of a firearm in 1997.
If convicted on the six felony counts of making criminal threats, Perez faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
The District Attorney's Office says charges stemming from Monday's pursuit and barricade could be filed by his preliminary hearing on June 24.
CNS contributed to this report.
