Pasadena man accused of fatal hit-and-run in Alhambra


ALHAMBRA >> A Pasadena man is accused of vehicular manslaughter and hit-and-run for allegedly fatally striking a woman with his SUV and fleeing the scene, police said Wednesday.
Erick Ulises Reyes-Melo, 28, of Pasadena was arrested hours after the collision, which took place about 1:50 p.m. on Tuesday at Main Street and Meridian Avenue, according to Alhambra police officials and Los Angeles County booking records.
The pedestrian struck by the SUV, identified as 50-year-old Maria Salazar of Inglewood, succumbed to her injuries Wednesday morning at Huntington Hospital, Alhambra police Sgt. Steven Carr said in a written statement.
Officers responded to reports of the collision and found Salazar “severely injured” at the scene, Carr said.
“The striking vehicle, described by witnesses as a dark-colored SUV, had fled the scene,” the sergeant said.
Within hours, investigators identified the involved SUV and the driver.
“Officers located the vehicle Reyes-Melo was driving, a black Nissan SUV, at his home and impounded it,” Carr said. “Reyes-Melo was initially held on a felony hit and run charge.”
Following the death of the victim, Reyes-Melo is now also expected to face a manslaughter charge, officials said.
The investigation indicated Reyes-Melo’s SUV struck Salazar as he was making a left turn from northbound Meridian Avenue to westbound Main Street, according to car. Salazar was walking north across Main Avenue in a marked crosswalk.
Intoxicated driving was not initially suspected, he said.

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Glendora man killed by alleged DUI, hit-and-run driver identified


GLENDORA >> Coroner’s officials have identified a 58-year-old Glendora man who was fatally struck by an alleged DUI, hit-and-run driver while working under the hood of a car last week.
Brian Pasley succumbed to his injuries at a hospital shortly after the 10:10 a.m. crash on April 13 along Grand Avenue, just north of Arrow Highway, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Assistant Chief of Operations Ed Winter said.
He was working on auto repairs along the side of the road when a Scion xB driven by 29-year-old Mark Stephen Gagliardi of Claremont slammed into the rear of the car Pasley was working on, Glendora police Cpl. Bill Lee said at the time.
Gagliardi fled the scene, but was found and arrested nearby after his damaged car broke down less than half a mile away, Lee said.
Investigators determined Gagliardi was driving while intoxicated and arrested him on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, felony DUI and hit-and-run, according to the corporal.
According to Los Angeles County booking records, Gagliardi was released from jail pending his initial court appearance after posting $136,000 bail.

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UPDATED: Whittier man accused of DUI in Cypress crash that killed La Mirada woman


CYPRESS >> A La Mirada woman died and a Whittier man is accused of manslaughter and DUI following a three-car crash in Cypress early Easter Sunday.
Alexis Barragan, 22, died in the 12:40 a.m. crash at Katella Avenue and Valley View Street, according to Orange County coroner’s records.
She was a passenger in a car being driven by 22-year-old Nicholas Sanchez-McCormick of Whittier, Cypress police Sgt. Ken Ramsey said.
“During the investigation, it was determined that the vehicle driven by (Sanchez-McCormick) was traveling westbound on Katella and ran a red light at the intersection of Valley View,” Cypress police officials said in a written statement. “His vehicle collided with two other vehicles, which were traveling north and south on Valley View.”
Paramedics pronounced Barragan dead at the scene.
Three occupants of the other two involved cars were taken to a hospital as a precaution, police said.
Officers determined Sanchez-McCormick was under the influence of alcohol and arrested him on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and felony drunken driving, Ramsey said.
Sanchez-McCormick already had a pending DUI case at the time of Sunday’s crash, according to Los Angeles County booking records and sheriff’s officials.
He was arrested on Jan. 1 by deputies from the sheriff’s Norwalk Station on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Jason Cunningham said.
He was issued a citation following that arrest and released from custody the same day, records show. Formal charges have yet to be filed.
Sanchez-McCormick pleaded “no contest” in 2015 in Los Angeles County Superior Court to a count of driving without a valid license, court records show. A second charge of driving on a suspended license was dismissed.
According to Orange County booking records, Sanchez McCormick was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail pending his initial court appearance, scheduled Tuesday in the Central Jail branch of Orange County Superior Court.

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Glendora man fatally struck by alleged DUI, hit-and-run driver while working on car


GLENDORA >> A Claremont man is accused of manslaughter, DUI and hit-and-run after he crashed his car into a parked car early Thursday, killing a man who was working under the hood, authorities said.
Mark Stephen Gagliardi, 29, was jailed in connection with the 10:10 a.m. crash along Grand Avenue, just north of Arrow Highway, according to Glendora police officials and Los Angeles County booking records.
The victim, a 59-year-old Glendora man whose name was not available, was working on his car, which was parked along the east curbline of Grand Avenue, prior to the crash, Glendora police Cpl. Bill Lee said.
Gagliardi was northbound on Grand Avenue when his Scion xB veered toward the side of the road and rear-ended the victim’s parked vehicle, according to the corporal. The impact pushed the victim’s vehicle forward, crushing him between his own vehicle and another vehicle parked in front of it.
Paramedics treated the badly injured man at the scene and took him to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries a short time later, Lee said.
The driver, later identified as Gagliardi, tried to drive away, Lee said. But his car, which was damaged in the collision, broke down less than half a mile away. Officers arrested him without a struggle.
Gagliardi was ultimately booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, DUI and felony hit-and-run, Lee said.
According to county booking records, Gagliardi was being held in lieu of $136,000 bail pending his initial court appearance.

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Passenger killed in Pasadena alleged DUI crash identified


PASADENA >> Officials have released the identity of a passenger killed in an alleged drunken driving-related crash in Pasadena late Thursday.
Alejandro Banuelos, 26, of Pasadena died in the 11:42 p.m. solo-car crash at Colorado Boulevard and Michigan Avenue, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Lt. David Smith said.
Banuelos was riding as a front passenger in the 1998 Cadillac, which was heading east on Colorado Boulevard, according to Pasadena police Lt. Diego Torres.
“Preliminary investigation revealed the driver lost control of the vehicle and the vehicle struck the south curb line of Colorado Boulevard and a light standard,” he said in a written statement.
Paramedics pronounced Banuelos dead at the scene.
The driver, 22-year-old Diego Gomez of Altadena, and a second passenger, described as a 22-year-old Pasadena man, were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, officials said.
Investigators determined Gomez was under the influence of alcohol and arrested him on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter, Lt. Mark Goodman said.
According to county booking records, Gomez was released from jail on Friday pending his initial court appearance after posting $50,000 bail.

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