Update:
The 22-year-old college student from
Costa Mesa previously arrested in connection with a fatal
DUI accident on Valentine’s Day has been charged in the
Orange County Superior Court with 2
nd degree murder,
felony as well as
misdemeanor
hit-and-run and
possession of cocaine.
The man, who has a prior
driving under the influence conviction from 2006, is alleged to have struck a Toyota Tundra after running a red light, killing the 20-year-old female passenger and injuring the driver. He is said to have then
fled the scene and was later apprehended hiding in a nearby neighborhood.
According to reports, the man’s
blood alcohol level was determined to be 0.17 percent. A small amount of
cocaine was also found in his pocket.
Prosecutors announced the prior
drunken driving conviction factored into their decision to file a charge of murder, rather than
vehicular manslaughter, as he was aware of the danger yet chose to drive anyway.
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