| For Immediate Release Case # 14NF0063 February 20, 2014 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami
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TRUCK DRIVER TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR KILLING BICYCLIST IN HIT-AND-RUN CRASH AFTER DRAGGING VICTIM THROUGH THE STREET
FULLERTON – A truck driver is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow for killing a bicyclist in a hit-and-run crash after dragging the victim through the street. Filemon Reynaga, 48, is charged with one felony count of hit and run causing death and one misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of five years in state prison. He is out of custody on $50,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 21, 2014, at 8:30 a.m. in Department N-3, North Justice Center, Fullerton.
At approximately 5:35 a.m. on Oct. 30, 2013, Reynaga is accused of driving a semi-trailer truck with attached trailers out of a driveway on Missile Way onto Orangethorpe Avenue in Anaheim. He is accused hitting 19-year-old bicyclist Morales Rodriguez and dragging him, along with his bicycle, onto Orangethorpe Avenue and driving away from the scene without rendering aid to the victim, or contacting police.
Morales was subsequently struck by a second vehicle, but the driver in that crash stopped at the scene and cooperated with the Anaheim Police Department (APD), who investigated this case. Rodriguez died as a result of multiple blunt traumatic injuries in the two collisions.
APD arrested Reynaga on Jan. 8, 2014, after further investigation.
Deputy District Attorney Anna McIntire of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.
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