OAKLAND — A 37-year-old man has been charged with several crimes, including felony gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, in a hit-and run traffic collision in East Oakland Aug. 19 that left a 17-year-old girl dead and her mother injured, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday.
The suspect, Agusto Matias of Oakland, is also charged with felonies of driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury, driving with an .08 or more blood alcohol level causing injury, leaving the scene of an accident and with misdemeanors of hit-and-run driving and being an unlicensed driver, the district attorney’s release said.
According to authorities Matias, who was arrested Aug. 19, was released from custody a few days later pending further investigation, including confirming his blood alcohol level. Authorities have not said what the exact level was.
A $230,000 arrest warrant has now been issued for him.
According to authorities, 17-year-old Mardenia Carrillo Lopez and her 46-year-old mother were in a crosswalk in the 7200 block of International Boulevard at Havenscourt Boulevard about 6:30 p.m. Aug. 19 when they were allegedly struck by a vehicle Matias was driving. Authorities said Matias was fleeing from the scene of an earlier bumper-to-bumper collision he was involved in.
After allegedly striking the girl and her mother, Matias continued driving but crashed a few minutes later in the 8400 block of International Boulevard where he was arrested by Alameda County sheriff’s deputies.
According to a GoFundMe posting, Mardenia was “originally from Guatemala and a recent resident of Oakland.”
“Mardenia was a beloved daughter, sister, classmate and community member,” according to the post, which as of Thursday afternoon had raised $6,820, well over its goal of $5,000 to help cover funeral costs, family medical expenses and the costs of transporting her body for burial in Guatemala.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce that my office has filed charges against an individual accused of extremely reckless driving that resulted in the tragic loss of a young life, I want to extend my condolences to the family. No parent should ever have to bury their child under such avoidable circumstances,” District Attorney Pamela Price said in a release announcing the charges.
“Our thoughts are with them during this incredibly difficult time. This incident is a stark reminder of the dangers of impaired and reckless driving. It is a preventable crime that destroys lives, devastates families, and places all of our lives in danger unnecessarily. This type of unconscionable behavior will not be tolerated on our city streets,” Price added.
