Suspect of deadly San Diego hit-and-run in court after death of two kids
SAN DIEGO — New developments Wednesday unfolded inside a San Diego courtroom on the driver accused of crashing into another car during a police chase and killing two young boys.
That suspect faced a judge for the first time as well as several members of that grieving local family, including members of his own.
Ahead of the arraignment, FOX 5 visited the site of the crash where just feet away from a bundle of flowers in the shape of a cross, were remnants of an accident which occurred Friday, Dec. 8 around 6:15 p.m.
Taillights, shattered glass windows, and what looked like the front hood of a Honda beneath a torched tree, all marked the spot of a deadly hit-and-run killing both Malakai and Mason Orozco-Romero, ages eight and four, just weeks before Christmas.
In the days to follow, Angel Daniel Salgado Velasquez, the suspect of the hit-and-run, faced a San Diego judge in person. However, news media was instructed to tile his face per judge’s orders.
“He was arraigned on several felony charges including two counts of murder, two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter, two counts of felony evading an officer causing serious bodily injury, one count of hit-and-run with injury, and one count of driving as an unlicensed driver,” explained Deputy District Attorney Jessica Coto when asked to break down the charges.
SDPD sergeant shot in head in shootout identified
Valasquez pleaded not guilty to all counts.
FOX 5 was there the moments following the deadly crash along the 43rd Street offramp of the southbound lanes of the 805 in Mountain View.
Police were chasing 20-year-old Velasquez who was driving a BMW for speeding in a residential neighborhood who then hit the victim’s Honda pushing both cars down a nearby embankment.
“His top rate of speed was 100 miles per hour and that was the point of impacting the victim vehicle on the offramp of the speed limit of that curved area was approximately 45 miles an hour,” Coto said.
The Honda with the young family then ran into a tree, which fell on top of the vehicle, bursting it into flames, killing two children while injuring their mom and her friend.
“He then got out of his car and ran away on foot and removed items of his clothing to conceal his identity because he ran away from the scene as the victims were suffering inside the victim vehicle,” the Deputy DA said.
It was also learned Wednesday Velasquez hit an elderly woman before hitting the young family. Her injuries and status are still unclear.
FOX 5 confirmed with family members that the mother of the two boys is currently in the ICU.
As for Velasquez, he was booked on a $1 million bail, which the judge later raised to no bail. If convicted, Velasquez faces 30 to life in prison.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego.
