Trial begins in Ontario SUV murder case

Attorneys gave competing versions of events this morning during opening statements in the murder trial of Keith Ray Russworm, who is accused of driving his SUV into a crowd outside an Ontario birthday party, killing one person and injuring several others.

Russworm, 22, killed 58-year-old Alejandro Ochandorena after he struck Ochancorena and others late in the evening of June 23, 2007 in the 2700 block of South Arcadian Shores Road, authorities said.

Deputy District Attorney Charles Feibush told jurors today that Russworm, angry over an argument at the party, deliberately drove his white Chevrolet Suburban into a crowd of people in the home's driveway at about 11:30 p.m.

"The crowd of people were thrown in all directions," Feibush told the West Valley Superior Court jury of 9 women and 3 men.

The group was celebrating the birthday of Ochandorena's wife, Maria Ochandorena, at the Ochandorena family home, Feibush said.

Prosecutors have charged Russworm, of Corona, with one count of murder and seven counts of attempted murder.

He has remained jailed at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga since his arrest.

Russworm's defense attorney, Dan Mangan, told jurors that Russworm, his girlfriend, and others who arrived with the couple were verbally and physically assaulted by others at the party.

"Everyone was exceptionally drunk," Mangan said.

Mangan said partygoers used racial epithets while making threatening comments toward Russworm, who is black. Russworm was terrified, Mangan said.

Russworm, his girlfriend and their friends tried to leave the area, but were initially blocked from leaving the neighborhood when they left the home, Mangan said.

Russworm drove back toward the home attempting to find an alternate route out of the area, and when he approached the home there were people in the street hurling things at his car. He swerved onto the driveway to avoid them, and inadvertently struck people, Mangan said.

"What happened on the driveway and on the grass was an accident," Mangan said.