An unlicensed driver involved in a high-speed police chase has pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including two counts of murder, following a tragic crash that claimed the lives of two young brothers in San Diego.
Angel Velasquez Salgado, 21, is set to receive a sentence of 30 years to life in state prison for his role in the fatal accident that occurred on December 8, 2023.
The crash took place when Salgado’s BMW rear-ended a family’s sedan on an Interstate 805 off-ramp, killing 8-year-old Malikai Orozco-Romero and his 4-year-old brother Mason Orozco-Romero. The boys were seated in the back of their family’s vehicle, which was propelled down an embankment and struck a tree, causing it to catch fire.
While their mother and another woman in the car sustained injuries, they fortunately survived the incident.
As Salgado was on the verge of going to trial, he opted to plead guilty to the murder counts, as well as charges of hit-and-run causing injury, evading an officer, and driving without a license.
The incident has spurred renewed discussions regarding San Diego police pursuit policies, as the family of the deceased boys has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges that officers should have ended the pursuit in consideration of public safety, as the high-speed chase played out.
During a preliminary hearing last year, officers recounted that their pursuit of Salgado began after they noticed his vehicle had a headlight out. After observing Salgado’s BMW for a brief period, they witnessed the vehicle make an abrupt turn into a residential driveway.
When the officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, Salgado sped away, exhibiting reckless driving behavior by swerving around other cars and disregarding stop signs.
Officer Jackson Carroll from the San Diego Police Department testified that Salgado was actively evading capture, changing lanes frequently and driving onto the shoulder and in an MTS bus lane to get around slower traffic.
The chase, which spanned several highways, reached a critical point at the 43rd Street off-ramp of Interstate 805, where Salgado lost control and collided with the victims’ vehicle.
According to California Highway Patrol Officer Richard Vargas, Salgado drove onto the right shoulder of the off-ramp before crashing into the rear side of the family’s Honda, resulting in both vehicles spinning down the embankment.
Following the crash, Salgado fled from the scene but was apprehended shortly thereafter at a nearby residence.
In addition to the charges stemming from the fatal incident, Salgado also pleaded guilty to a hit-and-run causing injury from an earlier part of the pursuit and a felony evading charge from a separate chase that happened approximately seven months prior to the crash.
Salgado’s sentencing is scheduled for September 4, 2024.
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