Giovanni Ceja, a former correctional corporal for the Bexar County (Texas) sheriff's office, has been charged with second-degree murder and hit-and-run involving death. Ceja, born on June 8, 1992, entered a plea of not guilty during a recent arraignment at the Riverside Hall of Justice, reports the Riverside County District Attorney Post. Ceja's next hearing will be held on January 30, 2024.
Authorities suspect Ceja was driving under the influence during a fatal hit-and-run over the summer. The incident transpired on the southbound shoulder of Interstate 215 in Riverside, north of La Cadena Drive, and resulted in the unfortunate passing of 38-year-old Gilberto Sotelo.
The Riverside County District Attorney's Report notes that, according to investigators, Ceja was intoxicated at the time of the accident, striking not only the victim but also the victim's stalled truck before fleeing the scene.
After the incident, California Highway Patrol immediately launched an investigation, ultimately identifying Ceja as the suspected perpetrator. On August 14, Ceja was arrested within his own law enforcement agency in San Antonio, Texas. Ceja was later extradited by the Riverside County Sheriff's Office and detained at the Robert Presley Detention Center on August 27.
Prosecution to seeks ensure accountability in this tragic event. Deputy District Attorney Melanie Deutsch of the District Attorney's Office Major Crimes Unit, Vehicular Homicide Division, has to been assigned the responsibility of prosecuting this case, officially listed as RIF2303748.
