Carjacking Defendant Detained After Rejecting Plea Deal

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Probable cause was established for a carjacking defendant after he rejected a plea deal on Oct. 18 before DC Superior Court Judge Renee Raymond.  

Tony White, also known as Alexander Sedrick, 53, is charged with unarmed carjacking, simple assault, and leaving after colliding with property damage, for his alleged involvement in a carjacking on Sept. 20 on the 2300 block of 18th Street, NE. 

During the hearing, the prosecution extended a deal in which the defendant would plead guilty to robbery and leaving after colliding with property damage, with the sentences served concurrently, in exchange for the prosecution not seeking an indictment. 

Defense attorney Craig Ricard turned down the plea on his client’s behalf.

An officer from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) who was at the scene testified she talked to an another officer who was already there and offered assistance after an accident. After the suspect’s claiming to the officer it was his friend’s car, the defendant fled the scene and the officer chased after him.  

Moments later, the officer received notice that the suspect and vehicle matched a lookout for a stolen vehicle from a car wash nearby. Police say White stole the vehicle and hit three vehicles before crashing into a pole himself. 

During the hearing, Ricard attempted to argue for a lesser charge of theft but Judge Raymond ruled that probable cause has been established based on the elements defining a carjacking. 

The defense also pushed for home confinement and drug treatment as an alternative to detention. However, Judge Raymond sided with the prosecution against this based on a list of prior convictions, multiple failure to appear notices, and the timeliness of this offense. 

The defendant was taken back into custody awaiting his next hearing on Nov. 7.