Current court status
Jury selection is scheduled in Riverside County Superior Court for Antonio Tellez Leon, 41, of Coachella, who is charged with second-degree murder, four counts of driving under the influence causing great bodily injury, and driving on a suspended license in connection with a 2023 fatal collision. Pretrial motions began Thursday, and the case was moved from the Larson Justice Center in Indio to the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, according to MyNewsLA.com.
Riverside County Superior Court Judge F. Paul Dickerson is expected to screen prospective jurors for eligibility and availability. Tellez Leon remains held on $1 million bail at the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio, according to MyNewsLA.com.
The collision and the charges
The prosecution’s trial brief places the collision on June 6, 2023, at Avenue 51 and Chiapas Drive in Coachella. Prosecutors allege that Tellez Leon was driving a BMW 325 when he crossed the center median and struck a Toyota Camry. Jacob Snellings, 21, died at the scene; his brother David, 19, was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center and later recovered. A Jeep Cherokee and a Honda Civic were also damaged, according to the brief as described by MyNewsLA.com.
The brief alleges that Tellez Leon had consumed wine and methamphetamine before driving. Investigators also reported signs of impairment, and the testing described in the supplied accounts indicated alcohol above California’s legal driving limit as well as amphetamines. Tellez Leon suffered a leg injury in the collision and was treated at the same hospital.
Earlier DUI conviction
The prosecution is also expected to rely on Tellez Leon’s March 2023 misdemeanor DUI conviction. That case arose from a Palm Desert hit-and-run collision, and he was placed on probation. Court records reportedly show that he received a formal warning about the dangers of impaired driving before the 2023 fatal crash, according to the trial brief summarized by Patch.
Prosecutors allege that the prior conviction and warning are relevant to the murder charge because they bear on whether Tellez Leon knew the risks of driving while impaired. The charge remains an allegation, and the prosecution must prove its case at trial. The materials provided for this report do not include a response from the defense.
Next step
The court’s immediate task is to select a jury in Murrieta. The trial will then address whether Tellez Leon’s conduct and prior knowledge satisfy the elements of second-degree murder, in addition to the DUI-injury and suspended-license charges.
