Driver Arraigned For Crash That Killed Santa Rosa Homeless Woman, Dog In Parked Car

SANTA ROSA (CBS SF) -- A Santa Rosa man was arraigned Wednesday in Sonoma County Superior Court on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and DUI causing death or injury for a collision that killed a woman and her dog in a parked car.

Angel Martinez, 21, did not enter a plea to the charges, and Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Mark Urioste set his bail at $125,000. Martinez's attorney Izaak Schwaiger said his client's family was expected to post bail Wednesday afternoon. The judge ordered Martinez to wear an electronic monitoring device and refrain from possessing, buying or drinking alcohol after his release.

Martinez was in a Dodge Challenger traveling up to 90 miles an hour and had a blood-alcohol content of 0.10 percent when the Dodge collided with a Mazda SUV on Hoen Avenue near Cypress Way in east Santa Rosa around 3 a.m. Monday, according to police and Sonoma County prosecutors.

Kellie Michelle, 50, and her pit bull mix, who were sleeping in the Mazda, died in the crash. The crash pushed the Mazda onto the front lawn of a home, and an unoccupied Toyota Prius also was struck in the crash. The three vehicles were totaled, Santa Rosa police said.

Martinez is an active member of the military and has no criminal record, Schwaiger said.

After the arraignment, a member of Michelle's family and Martinez's father embraced outside the courtroom, Schwaiger said.

© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. and Bay City News Service. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.