Assault suspect shot by Burbank police pleads not guilty

A 21-year-old man who was shot by Burbank police after he slammed a truck into a patrol car at the end of a pursuit pleaded not guilty Tuesday to assault charges, officials said.

Arthur Papiyan was charged last month with two counts of assaulting a peace officer with a deadly weapon on Jan. 28, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

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Early that morning, officers were called to the 99 Cents Only store at Victory Boulevard and Buena Vista Street, where a 36-year-old woman told police that she was kidnapped by a man in a white pickup.

Police spotted a white truck heading west on Victory Boulevard and triedto stop the driver, but he took off, speeding through red lights.

After a short pursuit, Papiyanstopped at Victory Boulevard and Pass Avenue, where two officers remained by their patrol car with their guns drawn, calling the driver back to them.

Papiyan then reversed the truck and slammed it into the patrol car, at which point police shot him. One round pierced the driver’s seat and struck Papiyan’s back, leaving him bruised. He was treated at a hospital.

Neither officer was injured.

The womanlater told police she left a house party in south Los Angeles on foot when she accepted a ride from a man, but he didn’t get off at the correct freeway exit.

She said the driver then put a rag over her face. Next thing she knew, she was out of the truck near railroad tracks, police said at the time.

The woman then walked to the 99 Cents Only store and called police. She was arrested on two outstanding misdemeanor warrants for prostitution.

Papiyan, who is out of police custody on bail, was not charged with kidnapping because police said, at the time, they had not corroborated the story.

He’s due back in court in April.

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Alene Tchekmedyian, [email protected]

Twitter: @atchek