Former Democratic Assemblyman Walter Karabian allegedly ran over a female parking attendant with his car on Saturday afternoon, just before a USC football game at the university's Coliseum.
Karabian, 71, now faces a heap of legal trouble. Just after the incident, police booked the former Assemblyman on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. He later posted $30,000 bail and was released. The Los Angeles Times reports that Karabian's case has since been referred to the Los Angeles city attorney's office for review, where he could be charged with a felony. The county prosecuters have so far declined to take action against Karabian.
Karabian is a well-known figure in the Los Angeles community. He graduated from the University of Southern California with a law degree and was elected into the state's Assembly when he was just 28 years old. At age 33 he became the youngest majority leader in California's history. He later moved on from his work in politics, and became a well known attorney in the Los Angeles region. Him and his USC classmate, John Karns, created Karns & Karabian Law Firm in 1975.
If he is charged for assault with a deadly weapon, it is unknown whether Karabian will represent himself in court or if he will have a criminal attorney in Los Angeles defend him.
If convicted of a felony, he can face at least 16 months of jail time and have a strike on his record, that can follow him for life. It's still not known if the parking lot attendent will be pressing charges against Karabian as well. She was taken to the hospital immediately after the incident, but her physical condition has not been released to the public.
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Fmr. Assemblyman Arrested after Woman Run Over (Fox News L.A)
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Former State Legislator Walter Karabian Arrested (Associated Press)
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California Felony Law (Stephen Rodriguez Law Firm)
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