Two men began their jury trial on Aug. 8 for a fatal-hit-and-run crash after speeding through a red light and killing a nine-year-old boy in a crosswalk. The two men are Roderick Kent Jerro, 53, of Orange and Miguel Villagomez, 29, of Anaheim.
Jerro was charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and hit and run and permanent injury and death, and faces up to 25 years to life in state prison.
Villagomez was charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and faces up to six years in state prison.
The circumstance in question happened on the night of Aug. 6, 2015, when Villagomez is accused of getting into a minor traffic collision with Jerro’s vehicle on Tustin Street and Palm Avenue in Orange, and attempting to drive away.
Jerro is accused of pursuing Villagomez’s vehicle. Both defendants are accused of committing multiple traffic violations including speeding, running multiple stop lights and stop signs, and driving on the wrong side of the street.
The defendants are accused of speeding northbound through a red light at the intersection of North Glassell Street and Wilson Avenue, where Jerro is further accused of hitting nine-year-old Jesse Rosales as he was crossing the street with his older sister.
Jerro and Villagomez are accused of failing to stop to render aid or assistance to the victim.
Villagomez is accused of continuing to drive northbound, attempting to make a left turn on West Taft Avenue, and crashing into a brick wall, which disabled his vehicle.
Jerro is accused of stopping his vehicle near the site where Villagomez had crashed.
Rosales was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Both defendants were arrested a short time later by the Orange Police Department, who investigated this case.
