Nearly a year after a deadly on-duty collision, a Chula Vista police officer has been formally charged in the motorcyclist's death and is now fighting the case in court.
Officer Johan Jacobo, 29, was arraigned today on a misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter charge stemming from a June 20, 2025 crash that killed 28-year-old motorcyclist Simon Robledo. Jacobo pleaded not guilty and remains free on his own recognizance, according to court records. The arraignment comes nearly 11 months after the collision.
Officer Arraigned On Misdemeanor Charge
According to The San Diego Union‑Tribune, Jacobo pleaded not guilty Tuesday to one count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. Prosecutors allege he drove through a red light, then turned left into the path of Robledo's motorcycle, forming the basis of the criminal case. The Union‑Tribune reports the charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in county jail if he is convicted.
How The Crash Unfolded
Local coverage from June 2025 states the collision happened around 6 PM at the intersection of Windingwalk Street and Olympic Parkway, when a patrol vehicle making a left turn struck an eastbound motorcycle, according to NBC 7 San Diego. The rider, identified as 28-year-old Simon Robledo, was taken to a hospital and died about an hour later, NBC 7 reported. Because the crash involved an on-duty officer, Chula Vista police asked the California Highway Patrol to take the lead on the investigation.
Family's Wrongful‑Death Suit Alleges Dangerous Turn
A wrongful-death lawsuit filed in December 2025 on behalf of Robledo's widow and young son contends that Jacobo "turned left against a red light and into the direct path" of the motorcycle and that the patrol car's emergency lights or siren were not activated, according to The San Diego Union‑Tribune. The suit seeks damages and argues the maneuver had no rational explanation, court documents say. The civil case remains pending while prosecutors pursue the criminal charge.
Legal Context And Recent Precedent
By filing a misdemeanor rather than a felony count, prosecutors limited the potential punishment to county jail rather than state prison. Criminal charges against on-duty officers in fatal traffic collisions are uncommon but not unheard of. In 2023, the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office detailed a misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter conviction of an on-duty officer in a separate motorcyclist death in a press release, offering a recent example of how prosecutors have handled a similar situation. That case shows how manslaughter charges can follow both internal and criminal reviews, with each incident turning on specific facts and available evidence.
Family Remembers Him As A "Big Dreamer"
Robledo's family told reporters he had been working toward bigger goals to support his wife and 3-year-old son, describing him as "a big dreamer," his mother said in an interview with NBC 7 San Diego. The family has filed the wrongful-death suit and has urged any witnesses to come forward to help clarify what happened. A small memorial has remained near the crash site as both the civil and criminal cases move ahead.
Criminal proceedings will now unfold alongside the civil lawsuit, with both outcomes to be decided in court. This story will be updated as new filings or official statements are released.
