A late-night police pursuit that started in Anaheim and spilled into neighboring Placentia ended in tragedy when a speeding Jeep slammed into another car, killing a 59-year-old driver and injuring an 83-year-old woman, authorities said. The man behind the wheel, a 21-year-old whom federal officials say is undocumented, is now sitting in jail on multimillion-dollar bail as the case edges toward court.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Los Angeles field office identified the suspect as Darwin Felipe Bahmon Martinez, a Colombian national who “illegally entered the U.S. near Chula Vista in August 2023.” The agency placed an immigration detainer on him the day after the crash, according to NBC Los Angeles. Prosecutors say Martinez has pleaded not guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter, evading a police officer causing death and reckless driving. He was being held on $2 million bail, with a preliminary hearing set for March 16, per the outlet.
How the pursuit unfolded
Anaheim police say the whole thing started when officers spotted a dark-colored Jeep Gladiator driving recklessly near Mira Loma and Lawrence avenues. The driver initially appeared to comply, pulling over as officers approached, but then hit the gas and took off, triggering a short pursuit.
The chase came to a violent end at the intersection of Bradford and Madison avenues in Placentia, where the Jeep plowed into a Honda, sending debris flying and leaving three vehicles damaged, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Victim and injuries
NBC Los Angeles identified the man killed in the crash as 59-year-old Jose Antonio Ramos Hernandez. Friends and relatives remembered him as a beloved father whose life ended on what should have been an ordinary drive.
An 83-year-old woman in another vehicle survived but was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening, according to CBS Los Angeles.
What’s next in court
Prosecutors have filed felony charges in connection with the deadly collision, and court records show Martinez did not enter a plea at an earlier arraignment that had to be rescheduled at the North Justice Center in Fullerton, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The California Highway Patrol’s major accident investigation team has been brought in to sort out the details of the pursuit and crash. Authorities say more information will be released as they build the case and the court proceedings move forward.
