In a series of exclusive images obtained by DailyMail.com, Jessica Reynolds, the woman who led Los Angeles police on a high-speed chase that culminated in a dramatic plunge into the Pacific Ocean, has been seen for the first time since the incident.
The 39-year-old redhead has been held at the Century Regional Detention Facility since her case was diverted to a mental health court and criminal proceedings were put on hold two weeks ago.
According to the Daily Mail, Reynolds' legal team successfully argued that she was experiencing a 'psychotic episode' during the peculiar incident that took place in the early hours of March 16. The chase, captured on film by shocked beachgoers, ended with Reynolds driving her silver BMW across the sands of Venice Beach and into the waves, leaving her two Boston terrier dogs, Rebel and Jewel, in the sinking vehicle.
Following the incident, Reynolds swam out to sea, was retrieved by an LA County Sheriffs boat, arrested, and taken to a hospital on a 5150 psychiatric hold. She was later charged with one felony count of evading police while disregarding safety and two counts of animal cruelty. If convicted, she could face up to three years in prison.
However, during a hearing at the Hollywood Mental Health Court on Wednesday, Judge Robert Harrison deemed Reynolds mentally fit to stand trial, subsequently returning her case to the criminal system. Reynolds, who appeared disheveled in LA County Jail-issued blue sweatpants and a bright yellow top, remained silent during the brief court appearance, keeping her gaze lowered as she was led into the courtroom.
The case is set to continue with a new hearing on Thursday in El Monte, a suburb 15 miles east of LA, where Judge Robert Villeza will decide on the next steps. Reynolds' lawyer, Saiid Arjomand, declined to comment when approached by DailyMail.com outside the court.
Reynolds had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges. Her former lawyer, Alan Gonzalez, told the court that the incident was 'a cry for help.' He stated, "She was having a psychotic episode. She did drive her car into the ocean. You can interpret this as a cry for help. No one was injured...and the dogs were rescued."
Gonzalez revealed that prior to the incident, Reynolds had been involved in a 'toxic relationship' that included drug use, and she had lost custody of her son in a divorce. After the incident, Reynolds, who had recently moved to California, relocated to Oregon where she lived in a Christian residential rehab and worked a $22-an-hour job in an Oregon warehouse. She was taken into custody on a $50,000 bond during her last court appearance.
The peculiar chain of events leading to Reynolds' arrest began late at night on March 15 in El Monte, where police attempted to pull her over for speeding. Instead of stopping, Reynolds, who has multiple recent convictions for speeding and fleeing police in her native New Mexico, fled.
She eventually reached Washington Boulevard in Venice, which dead ends near the Venice pier, and drove straight into the ocean just after midnight. After opening the driver's door, Reynolds attempted to swim away from the police until a rescue boat tossed her a flotation donut, which she grabbed to get aboard safely. The rescuers managed to save the two-year-old Boston Terriers before the SUV was swept away by the current, according to a police report.
The following morning, beachgoers unaware of the previous night's events found a car being towed from the water onto the land. The front window was shattered, and mounds of sand filled the front and back seats. Skid marks were visible in the sand.
Reynolds's ex-husband, Michael Hufstedler, 44, revealed to DailyMail.com that they had finalized a messy, long-drawn-out divorce in July, in which he was awarded sole custody of their 12-year-old son. Hufstedler, who once ran a real estate appraisal firm with Reynolds in Alto, New Mexico, said, "She cheated on me with one of the people that worked for me. Then she threatened to commit suicide. I live in a different state now, I've retreated totally."
Hufstedler added that the two dogs involved in the incident are his, though there was no mention of who should keep the animals after the divorce.
Reynolds has had previous encounters with the law in New Mexico. In October 2019, she pleaded no contest to a criminal speeding charge of more than 30mph over the limit. The case was deferred and dismissed, according to court records. She pleaded no contest to a September 2020 charge of resisting an officer, which was again deferred and dismissed though the court later issued a warrant for her arrest after she failed to pay her fine and fees.
Reynolds pleaded guilty to speeding 16-20 mph over the limit, with no proof of insurance in November last year. Again, the charges were deferred and dismissed. Another warrant was issued in December last year after she failed to show up for a court hearing, but by January she had met all her legal obligations, according to the docket.
Reynolds was also charged last November with careless driving and 'leaving the scene of an accident involving damage to a vehicle'. But according to court records, she has not yet entered a plea in that case. As the case continues, the question remains: what will be the final outcome for Jessica Reynolds, the woman who led LA police on a chase that ended in the Pacific Ocean?
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