MAN SENTENCED TO 17 YEARS IN PRISON FOR FATAL HIT-AND-RUN AFTER SPEEDING THROUGH RED LIGHT AND KILLING 9-YEAR-OLD BOY IN CROSSWALK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Case # 15CF1773   

Date: November 2, 2018

MAN SENTENCED TO 17 YEARS IN PRISON FOR FATAL

HIT-AND-RUN AFTER SPEEDING THROUGH RED LIGHT

AND KILLING 9-YEAR-OLD BOY IN CROSSWALK

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man was sentenced today to 17 years in state prison for a fatal hit-and-run crash after speeding through red light and killing a 9-year-old boy in a crosswalk. His codefendant was sentenced to four years in state prison on Oct. 12, 2018.

Defendant Charges Sentence
Roderick Kent Jerro, 53, Orange Found guilty by a jury on Aug. 28, 2018, of the following felony counts:

  • Vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence
  • Hit and run and permanent injury and death
  • Possession of firearm by felon (pleaded guilty Aug. 6, 2018)

 

Prior Strike Convictions

  • Assault in Los Angeles in 1983
  • Burglary in Los Angeles in 1986
  • Possession of a controlled substance in Los Angeles in 1988
  • Illegal possession of a firearm in Los Angeles in 1990.
  • Forgery or corruption of records in Los Angeles in 1997
17 years in state prison
Miguel Villagomez, 29, Anaheim Found guilty by a jury on Aug. 28, 2018, of the following felony count:

  • Vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence
Four years in state prison

Circumstances of the Case

  • At approximately 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 6, 2015, Villagomez was involved in a minor traffic collision with Jerro’s vehicle on Tustin Street and Palm Avenue in Orange and attempted to drive away. Jerro pursued Villagomez’s vehicle.
  • During this chase, both defendants sped northbound through a red light at the intersection of North Glassell Street and Wilson Avenue.
  • In the intersection, Jerro hit 9-year-old Jesse Rosales as he was crossing the street with his older sister.
  • Both Jerro and Villagomez failed to stop to render aid or assistance to the victim and the defendants continued to speed away.
  • Villagomez continued to drive northbound, attempted to make a left turn on West Taft Avenue, and crashed into a brick wall, which disabled his vehicle.
  • Jerro stopped his vehicle near the site where Villagomez crashed.
  • Rosales was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
  • Both defendants were arrested a short time later by the Orange Police Department, who investigated this case.

Prosecutor: Senior Deputy District Attorney Whitney Bokosky, Homicide Unit