By Brian Anderson
Contra Costa Newspapers

March 21, 2002

OAKLAND —A judge denied Wednesday a move to suppress evidence collected after three men now accused of committing a robbery at a Dublin steakhouse that led to the death of a deputy sheriff were arrested.

After three weeks of testimony, Judge Alfred Delucchi ruled that evidence collected from the “getaway car” as well as several Turlock apartments could be included when Hai Le, Miguel Sifuentes and Reuben Vasquez stand trial.

Seized in the searches were unused air pistol cartridges and fake mustaches, among other things. Both Le and Sifuentes, officials have said, were armed with pellet guns during the Dec. 12, 1998 robbery of the Outback Steakhouse.

Vasquez, who a prosecutor maintains gunned down John Paul Monego, was armed with a 9mm handgun, according to court records.

Delucchi denied defense arguments that the 1990 Acura that came to a stop after a short chase from the Regional Street restaurant was not abandoned when two of three suspects jumped out. Rejecting earlier testimony from Le, the judge also did not believe that the 23-year-old Turlock man did not know he twice signed a consent to search his car.

Le acknowledged Wednesday morning that he had driven the Acura that sped away from the restaurant. He testified that he had handed the pellet gun he was carrying to someone in the back seat before racing out of the parking lot.

The car crashed a short time later on Dublin Boulevard. While Sifuentes remained in the backseat, Le said he and Vasquez bolted.

Le jumped a couple of fences, he said, before hiding in the closet of a nearby work site trailer. He was found after about 20 minutes and arrested.

Police also later located Vasquez and took him into custody.

Le said he was kept in the back of a patrol car for hours before being driven back to where he had left the Acura. He said he was taken from the car to a dark area, where he became concerned for his safety.

“I didn’t know what was going to happen,” he said, indicating that he had watched movies where police had roughed up suspects.

He was not harmed, but was forced to consent to the search of his car, he said.

Delucchi will continue hearings today to determine whether taped statements between Sifuentes and his parents after he was brought to Santa Rita Jail should be suppressed.