A 28-year-old Fullerton man is facing felony DUI charges after a late-night crash that left a well-known dance instructor clinging to life in a local hospital. Police say the collision happened around 11:30 p.m. Sunday at West Valencia Drive and South Brookhurst Road, and word of the wreck has rippled quickly through Southern California’s tight-knit dance scene.
Hector Ramon Delacruzjusto was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury and driving with a blood-alcohol level above 0.08 percent causing injury, with sentencing enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury, according to MyNewsLA. Prosecutors allege his BAC was 0.10, over the legal limit. He pleaded not guilty at an arraignment in Santa Ana and is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on June 17 at the North Justice Center in Fullerton.
Investigators say the crash involved three vehicles: a 2024 Nissan traveling east on Valencia, a 2022 Mazda heading south on Brookhurst and a 2023 Tesla. Officers reported that the Tesla driver was "rushed to a local hospital." According to a GoFundMe post by his fiancée, choreographer Mikey DellaVella is in intensive care "fighting for his recovery" after suffering multiple skull and facial fractures and a traumatic brain injury, MyNewsLA reports.
Dancer’s profile and community response
DellaVella, identified as the injured Tesla driver, is a choreographer and instructor whose classes have drawn crowds at Los Angeles studios including Millennium Dance Complex and Movement Lifestyle, according to his professional profiles on Backstage and STEEZY Studio. Colleagues, students and fans have flooded social media with messages of support, and the family says a fundraiser has been launched to help cover mounting medical expenses.
Legal stakes for the defendant
Prosecutors have accused Delacruzjusto of felony DUI under California Vehicle Code §23153, which can be filed when alleged impairment combines with a traffic violation that results in injury. On top of that, they are pursuing a "great bodily injury" sentencing enhancement under Penal Code §12022.7, a separate add-on that can significantly increase prison exposure if a jury finds serious physical harm occurred during a felony. Guidance from Shouse Law notes that a GBI enhancement typically adds consecutive time rather than running concurrently with the underlying sentence.
Authorities say the investigation is still active and more information could surface as the case moves through Orange County courts. After entering his not-guilty plea, Delacruzjusto remains in the criminal justice system with his next court date set for June 17 at the North Justice Center in Fullerton.
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