Max Wade Faces Possible Life Sentence For Lamborghini Theft; Guy Fieri Gets Stolen Car Back
California teen Max Wade was charged with commercial burglary and attempted murder for stealing a Lamborghini sports car owned by celebrity chef Guy Fieri and participating in a drive by shooting.
Wade was arraigned as an adult in the Marin County Superior Court for two counts of attempted murder, an attempted Lamborghini theft, and other charges, reported Reuters. Altogether he is facing seven felony charges.
The 18-year-old's Lamborghini theft played out like a scene from a Hollywood movie.
In March 8, 2011, police said a San Francisco man climbed to the top of the British Motor Car Distributors dealership and rappelled into the showroom through an open window. He made off with a canary yellow Spyder Gallardo owned by Fieri, worth about $200,000.
The Lamborghini was spotted crossing the Golden Gate Bridge a few days later. The license plate read 'GUYTORO.
Sheriff's Sergeant Mark Hale said there were no leads in the theft until detectives investigating a drive by shooting near San Francisco found the Lamborghini in a storage container.
It was a nice surprise, he said according to Reuters.
The Associated Press reported investigators found two assault rifles, cellphone-jamming equipment, and police uniforms in the storage locker. Several fake ID's from different states were also discovered.
Police are investigating how Wade obtained the items in the storage locker and if he had accomplices in the March 2011 car heist.
Wade is accused of participating in a drive-by shooting when he opened fire on a pickup truck on April 13. He was arrested on Saturday. Police found a loaded Glock handgun on his person and $1,500 in his wallet, along with a fake ID.
Wade opened fire on a pickup truck that had Landon Wahlstrom, 18 and an unidentified 17-year-old girl inside of it. They were injured by broken glass when Wade shot at their car, reported the Twin Cities Times.
According to Reuters, the young couple said the gunman was dressed all in black and fired five or six shots at close range. The couple suffered minor injuries but did not receive any gunshot wounds.
Wahlstrom's uncle revealed his nephew and Wade had a fight over a girl at their high school.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Wahlstrom and Wade both attended Redwood High School together and fought over a girl they both liked. Wade threatened to put a hit on Wahlstrom for writing unflattering things about him on Facebook, said Wahlstrom's uncle.
Wahlstrom and the girl dated occasionally but neither knew why Wade would want to kill them, sheriff's Detective Greg Garrett said in an affidavit, reported the Marin Independent Journal.
Wade was identified by police after investigators were able to track down a helmet he wore in the drive by shooting to a retail store in San Francisco. Investigators were able to get surveillance footage of Wade purchasing the item. Receipts confirmed the purchase. One of the shooting victims was able to identify Wade, reported the Associated Press.
Police also found the motorcycle involved in a drive by shooting.
Fieri, who is best known for his Food Network shows, said he was grateful to police for their hard work and effort in the recovery of my car, reported NBC Chicago.
I'm glad we can put this behind us, and feel better knowing that justice is being served, he said in a statement.
Wade's bail was set at $2 million. He is due back in court on May 10 to enter a plea.
If convicted of two counts of attempted murder he could face 30 years to life for each charge said District Attorney Barry Borden to the Marin Independent Journal.
Wade's lawyer, Charles Dresow, said his client is innocent until proven guilty.
My client is a (17-year-old) who stands accused as an adult of sophisticated and extraordinarily serious crimes, Dresow said. It is worth noting that some of the allegations related to the car occurred when he was 16.
Drescow said he would not comment on specific allegations until he had reviewed the case files.
This is an incredibly complex case and the government bears the entire burden of producing credible evidence which proves these allegations beyond a reasonable doubt, reported the Marin Independent Journal.
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