Man Accused of Reckless Chase Through El Cajon Ordered to Stand Trial

A man accused of ramming a police cruiser in El Cajon, touching off a chase through city streets, was ordered Monday to stand trial on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and evading police with reckless driving.

Jerry Lee Hickethier, 34, faces up to four years and eight months in prison if convicted, said Deputy District Attorney Brigida Garcia.

El Cajon police said a sergeant activated his siren and overhead lights last May 2 when a white pickup truck driven by Hickethier ran a red light. The defendant put his vehicle in reverse and rammed the sergeant's patrol car at Naranca Avenue and Oro Street, police said.

During the subsequent chase, the pickup collided with another police car and drove up onto a sidewalk, where it struck a light pole. Hickethier was boxed in by several other police cruisers and arrested on a freeway onramp.

At Hickethier's arraignment, a judge noted that the defendant has seven convictions from four states, mostly for misdemeanor driving offenses.

Following the preliminary hearing today, El Cajon Judge Ronald Frazier ruled that enough evidence had been presented for Hickethier to stand trial Jan. 6. A readiness conference was set for Dec. 6.

-City News Service