An alleged drunken driver who plowed through a red light in Hemet and smashed into two cars — killing a motorist — was charged today with second-degree murder and other felonies.
Sergio Solano Morales, 35, of Hemet, could face more than 20 years in prison if convicted of charges stemming from the collision last Sunday that killed 30-year-old Marissa Duran and injured two other people.
Along with murder, Morales is charged with DUI gross vehicular manslaughter, hit-and-run resulting in death, driving on a suspended license and sentence-enhancing allegations of inflicting great bodily injury, fleeing a hit-and-run crash and victimizing multiple people in the same crime.
The defendant, who was being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta, was slated to be arraigned this afternoon at the Southwest Justice Center.
According to Hemet police Sgt. Randy Young, Morales allegedly ran a red light while headed eastbound on Florida Avenue and slammed his pickup truck into two cars going north on State Street about 2:10 p.m. Sunday.
Three people, including Duran, were in the two vehicles. She was airlifted to Riverside County Regional Medical Center in Moreno Valley, where she died an hour later.
The other two victims were transported to hospitals with various injuries, from which they’re recovering, police said.
Morales fled the crash, running away barefoot, according to Young.
He said witnesses spotted the defendant trying to hide about three blocks away, in the 100 block of North Juanita Street, near Hemet City Hall.
Officers were alerted and immediately arrested him without incident.
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