A Long Beach man is facing serious charges after a September collision that sent a box truck crashing through a cinderblock wall and killed its driver. Prosecutors have identified the suspect as 35-year-old Luis Rodriguez. He pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Long Beach Superior Court and is being held on $50,000 bail. The crash, which happened on Sept. 17, 2025, near California State University, Long Beach, also left two other people inside the truck injured.
Arrest and charges
According to the Long Beach Post, Rodriguez has been charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, hit-and-run causing injury or death, and reckless driving with injuries. Police arrested him Tuesday along Seventh Street near Dawson Avenue, about four miles from the crash site, and the outlet reports it was not immediately clear what evidence investigators say connects him to the wreck.
How the crash unfolded
Investigators and early accounts described the collision as the violent end of an apparent road-rage encounter. A Tesla and a Subaru were reportedly weaving through traffic when the Tesla rear-ended the box truck. The impact pushed the truck through a retaining wall and caused it to overturn. CBS Los Angeles reported that the truck driver, 61-year-old Jose Cesena Sr., died, and that two passengers in the truck were hospitalized.
Legal stakes
Prosecutors told the Long Beach Post that Rodriguez could face up to 16 years in state prison if convicted on all counts. Court records cited by the outlet also show an arrest warrant has been outstanding for the suspected Tesla driver since February, and investigators say the case remains open.
Local safety context
The deadly crash unfolded against a backdrop of worsening traffic safety numbers in Long Beach. City data showed 53 fatal traffic collisions in 2025, the highest total in more than a decade. Advocates have used those statistics to push for stepped-up enforcement and traffic calming on major streets. LAist has chronicled residents’ growing frustration with how slowly some safety projects are rolling out.
What’s next
Rodriguez remains in custody and is scheduled to return to court. Prosecutors did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Detectives have urged anyone who saw the crash or its aftermath to contact investigators. Details on how to reach them were shared in earlier coverage by CBS Los Angeles, and the Long Beach Police Department says its investigation is ongoing.
