Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

Expired tags lead to big consequences in Brentwood for young Stockton man

By 9 Comments

The stolen Glock and magazine, and mushrooms, marijuana and hash oil gummies confiscated by police. Photos: Brentwood PD

Arrested with almost 1,000 grams of drugs, stolen gun; already out of custody with no charges filed

By Brentwood Police Department

What started as a simple traffic stop near Lone Tree Way and Highway 4 at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, 2026, quickly turned into much more…

Officers spotted a vehicle with registration expired for over a year. A traffic stop was conducted, and officers contacted the driver, Elijah Emmanuel Santalucia, a 21-year-old male out of Stockton.

Due to the expired registration, the vehicle was towed—but that’s when things really took a turn.

During an inventory search, officers located a stolen Glock 9mm firearm hidden under the driver’s seat. The firearm had been reported stolen out of Richmond back in November 2022.

And that wasn’t all…

Officers also recovered:

  • Over 400 grams of mushrooms
  • 185 grams of marijuana
  • Over 400 grams of hash oil gummies

Needless to say, the driver was taken into custody for multiple firearm and narcotics-related offenses and later booked at the Martinez Detention Facility.

According to the Brentwood Police CitizenRIMS, the five-foot, 10-inch tall, 175-pound Santalucia is Black. The Case Number is 2601090 and the charges included 25850(a) Pc: Carry Loaded Firearm In Public Under Specific Circumstances (Felony), 25400(a)(1) Pc: Carry Concealed Weapon In Vehicle (F), 496(a) Pc: Receive/etc Known Stolen Property (F), 11378 Hs: Possess Controlled Substance For Sale (F), 11357(b) Hs: Possess Marijuana Over 1 Oz/28.5 Grams (Misdemeanor).

According to localcrimenews.com, he was previously arrested by San Mateo County Sheriff’s Deputies in 2023 for shoplifting of less than $950.

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, as of March 18th, Santalucia is out of custody with no charges filed.

Sometimes it’s the small violations that lead to big discoveries. Great work by our officers, staying proactive and keeping our community safe!

Carole Bosch appointed as Contra Costa Superior Court judge

By Leave a Comment

By Matt J. Malone, PIO, Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa

New Contra Costa Superior Court Judge Carole Bosch. Photo source: Office of the California Governor

The Contra Costa Superior Court is pleased to announce that Governor Gavin Newsom has appointed Carole Bosch as the Court’s newest judge. She took her oath on March 20, 2026, and began presiding in Department 3 on March 23, 2026.

Since 2021, Judge Bosch, of Alameda County, has served as an administrative law judge with the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board since 2021, an independent administrative judicial agency charged with resolving disputed unemployment, disability, and employment tax determinations from the Employment Development Department. She was Vice President and Training Committee Co-Chair for the Administrative Law Judge Association. Simultaneously, she taught as an adjunct professor of legal writing and research at Golden Gate University.

Before serving as administrative law judge, Judge Bosch worked as a civil trial lawyer, including as a managing attorney at Hildebrand, McLeod and Nelson from 2017 to 2021, a partner at Paul & Hanley from 2007 to 2011, and an attorney at Kazan McClain Satterley & Greenwood from 2013 to 2016, in cases involving complex product liability litigation and catastrophic injury. Bosch also worked as a Partner at Minnard Bosch from 2016 to 2017 and at Farrise Law Firm from 2012 to 2013. Early in her legal career, she was an annual attorney with the California Supreme Court in 2007and worked as a Clerk at Hersh & Hersh from 2005 to 2007.

Judge Bosch is graduate of Golden Gate University School of Law and received her undergraduate degree from the University of California at Santa Cruz. She also holds a master’s degree from the University of Birmingham in Great Britain. Judge Bosch fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Patricia Scanlon. Bosch is a Democrat.

The annual compensation for her position is $244,727.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Benicia couple charged with child abuse in e-moto crash in Walnut Creek

By Leave a Comment

The minor was riding a Sur-Ron Light Bee e-Moto bike when the crash occurred. Photo: sur-ronusa.com

They “allowed the minor to repeatedly ride the e-moto from age 14-17”

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office

Martinez, California – The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office has charged a mother and father with child abuse related to the operation of an electric motorized bicycle, known as an e-moto bike, by an unlicensed minor who suffered injuries after crashing into another vehicle in Walnut Creek.

58-year-old Steven Leroy Crews and 58-year-old Jeanna Marie Gabellini of Benicia will be arraigned on March 27th at 8:30 am in Martinez on one count of child abuse [PC 273a(a)], which is a misdemeanor.

Mr. Crews and Ms. Gabellini are alleged to have willfully and unlawfully permitted a child to be injured or placed in a situation where the child’s health is endangered on or between October 19th, 2024, and September 18th, 2025.

It was on September 18th, 2025, around 3:05 pm, that a John Doe minor related to Crews and Gabellini crashed his Surron Light Bee e-Moto bike into a minivan on Treat Boulevard and Arkell Road in Walnut Creek. The minor suffered severe injuries that required emergency care at a local hospital. The driver of the minivan was uninjured and stayed at the scene.

Walnut Creek Police investigated the collision, and through witness statements and other evidence, determined the child was unlawfully riding the e-moto on Treat Boulevard in an unsafe manner and at unsafe speeds prior to the crash. Moreover, Crews and Gabellini allowed the minor to repeatedly ride the e-moto from age 14-17, ignoring repeated citations and warnings from law enforcement.

District Attorney Diana Becton said, “E-bikes and e-motos are more prevalent on city streets. Now that California has new laws on the books to address public safety offenses related to e-bikes and e-motos, parents must understand the dangers these vehicles can pose to children if operated unlawfully and without proper driver education.”

The City of Walnut Creek has helpful information on the different classifications of e-bikes, e-motos, e-scooters, e-dirt bikes, and how to operate them safely and lawfully.

Case No. 01-25-04762 | The People of the State of California v. Steven Leroy Crews

Case No. 01-25-04777 | The People of the State of California v. Jeanna Marie Gabellini

Walgreens ordered to pay $6 million for business code violations including expired food, drugs

By Leave a Comment

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office

Martinez, California – Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton and other District Attorneys in the State of California reached a settlement with Walgreen Co. for $6,000,000 for violations related to expired baby food, drugs, and overcharging customers.

The civil case and settlement centered on the company violating state law by charging their customers more than the lowest price posted or advertised price. The allegations that the company was in violation of these laws were based on inspections of scanners. Moreover, the civil lawsuit led to a resolution that Walgreens failed to comply with laws that prohibit the selling or offering to sell over-the-counter drugs, infant formula, and baby food products beyond the expiration date.

The court ordered Walgreen Co. to pay $5.4 million in civil penalties and $600,000 to reimburse state district attorney offices for the cost of investigations, attorneys’ fees, and other costs associated with enforcement. Contra Costa County will receive $612,000 of the civil settlement and $10,000 to cover the costs.

Walgreen Co. will also implement a three-year program to promote pricing accuracy and the removal of expired products from its store shelves. This program requires store managers to conduct monthly checks of all aisles and shelves of medication, baby food, and formula, and remove any expired items. Managers must also conduct weekly store walks and remove signage displaying inaccurate sales tag information and post signs informing customers of Walgreens’ Price Promise Guarantee. The Price Promise Guarantee means that if a customer notices a scanned price is higher than the advertised price, the customer will be charged the lower price.

District Attorney Diana Becton said, “Customers should have confidence that companies that sell food and formula to infants and children are doing so by being scrupulous about the safety of the products in their stores. The same goes for medications that are sold beyond their expiration dates. The work of my office and those of other district attorney offices in the state shows that when we work together to enforce laws, we not only ensure compliance – we’re also restoring trust and safety in our communities.”

Case No. 1-13-CV-239110 | The People of the State of California v. Walgreen Co., an Illinois Corporation

MTC, ABAG adopt final Plan Bay Area 2050+ and Environmental Impact Report

By Leave a Comment

Photo source: MTC. Credit: Karl Nielsen

Roadmap toward transit recovery and an affordable, connected, diverse, healthy and vibrant region for all

By John Goodwin, Assistant Director Of Communications & Leslie Lara-Enríquez, Assistant Director, Public Engagement, Metropolitan Transportation Commission

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) today unanimously adopted Plan Bay Area 2050+ and certified the plan’s associated Environmental Impact Report — giving final approval to the Bay Area’s long-range plan for transportation, housing, economic resiliency and environmental sustainability.

Plan Bay Area 2050+ was adopted unanimously by the Association of Bay Area Governments’ (ABAG) Executive Board last week. The votes by both boards cap a nearly three-year process during which over 17,600 Bay Area residents, community organizations, advocacy groups and public sector partners contributed to the development of the new plan, which MTC and ABAG are required to develop jointly.

Defined by 35 strategies for transportation, housing, the economy and the environment, Plan Bay Area 2050+ lays out a suite of policies and investments that define what it would take to make the nine-county region more affordable, connected, diverse, healthy and economically vibrant for all residents through 2050 and beyond. From housing and transportation strategies that would reduce cost of living and construct more affordable housing to investments in public transit that prioritize service improvements in Equity Priority Communities, the goal of a more equitable Bay Area is interwoven throughout the plan. With a major focus on climate change, strategies also are crafted for resilience, including protection from hazards such as sea level rise and wildfires.

Source: Plan Bay Area

ABAG Executive Board President and Napa County Supervisor Belia Ramos, who also serves as an MTC Commissioner, acknowledged some of the region’s biggest challenges the plan seeks to address. “Today, our communities face rising costs, widening inequality and persistent housing shortages,” said Ramos. “This is not the future we want for the generations of Bay Area residents to come. Plan Bay Area 2050+ charts a course for how we can bring about our shared vision for a Bay Area where everyone has access to opportunity and a better quality of life.”

Unique to this plan cycle is the parallel Transit 2050+ planning effort, developed in partnership with Bay Area transit agencies, which culminated in the first-of-its-kind plan to re-envision the future of public transportation across the region.

“Plan Bay Area 2050+ will help shape the vital service improvements and funding solutions we need to keep Bay Area transit running, while also making it faster, more frequent, more reliable, safer and better connected,” explained MTC Commission Chair and Pleasant Hill City Councilmember Sue Noack. “Plan Bay Area 2050+ lays the groundwork for how our region can meet the challenges of today, while also advancing a shared vision for an even better tomorrow.”

Plan Bay Area 2050+’s policy and investment framework has the potential to strengthen the region for decades to come, representing a major step toward a stronger, more resilient future.

ABAG is the council of governments and the regional planning agency for the 101 cities and towns, and nine counties of the Bay Area. Contra Costa County is represented by District 4 Supervisor Ken Carlson, District 5 Supervisor Shanelle Scales-Preston, El Cerrito Councilwoman Lisa Motoyama and Walnut Creek Councilwoman Cindy Silva.

MTC is the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. Contra Costa County is representatives include Chair Sue Noack Mayor of Pleasant Hill representing the cities of Contra Costa County and District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen representing Contra Costa County.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

DA charges Butte County man with murder in Lafayette homicide

By Leave a Comment

Suspect used hatchet to kill 34-year-old Christopher Jaber

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office

Martinez, California – The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office has charged a Butte County man with the murder of a Lafayette resident.

35-year-old David Swank Prince is scheduled to be arraigned in court on March 25th for the murder of 34-year-old Christopher Jaber. Prince unlawfully and with malice aforethought took the life of Jaber with the use of a hatchet.

On March 21, 2026, around 11:30 am, a relative of Christopher Jaber called 911 to report a suspicious individual with a hatchet in the backyard area of their property. The caller told dispatch that the individual was breaking into an Accessory Dwelling Unit where Jaber resided. When officers from the Lafayette Police Department arrived at the scene, they located Prince a short distance from the ADU, where he was detained and subsequently arrested. (See related article)

The murder appears to be a targeted act. The investigation into the motive for the murder and whether Prince and Jaber were acquainted is ongoing.

Prince is set to be in court at 1:30 pm in Martinez on Wednesday, where he could enter a plea to the murder charge and enhancement for the use of a deadly weapon. He is currently in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility.

Case No. 01-26-01746 | The People of the State of California v. David Swank Prince

Suspect arrested in death of 34-year-old Lafayette man

By 1 Comment

35-year-old David Prince held on $1M bail, has history of 23 previous arrests including 11 last year

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office & Lafayette Police Department

On Saturday morning, March 21, 2026, at 11:36, Lafayette police officers were dispatched to a suspicious subject at a residence on Westminster Place in Lafayette. Officers arrived and entered the home finding a man who was deceased. A person walking nearby was detained for further investigation in connection with this incident and was later arrested.

He is identified as 35-year-old David Swank Prince (born 12-18-1990) of Chico, California.

Detectives from the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office homicide unit and the crime lab responded to the scene.

Saturday evening, Prince was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on one count of murder. He is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

The victim in the homicide is identified as 34-year-old Christopher Jaber of Lafayette, CA.

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, the six-foot, one-inch tall, 170-pound Prince is Hispanic.

According to localcrimenews.com, he has a history of 23 previous arrests dating back to 2016 by multiple agencies for crimes including battery, vandalism, shoplifting, petty theft, DUI, resisting arrest, reckless driving, evasion with wanton disregard for safety, public intoxication, driving with a suspended license and evasion of public transit fare payment. In addition, Prince has lived in a variety of cities including Walnut Creek, last year, Pleasant Hill in 2023, as well as Berkeley, San Francisco, Oroville and Modesto.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to contact the Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600 or through Sheriff’s Office dispatch at (925) 646-2441. For any tips, email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

East Bay Anza 250 Symposium at Los Medanos College April 11

By Leave a Comment

Learn about the Juan Bautista de Anza Expedition in Contra Costa County and throughout California as the Declaration of Independence was being signed

By LeighAnn Davis, Executive Director, Contra Costa County Historical Society

As our nation approaches its 250th anniversary, land managers, historians, educators and civic leaders across the East Bay formed the East Bay Anza 250 Symposium committee dedicated to exploring a parallel milestone: the 250th anniversary of the Juan Bautista de Anza expedition. This journey profoundly shaped California’s history and continues to influence our communities today.

Anza Expedition Map. Source: National Park Service

According to the National Park Service, the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail covers over 1,200 miles through the homelands of 70+ Tribal communities including in Contra Costa County. It follows the historic route of the 1775-76 Spanish colonizing expedition from Sonora, Mexico to San Francisco, CA. Whether urban or rural, the trail offers adventure, diverse cultural perspectives and an opportunity to experience history.

Painting by David Rickman. Courtesy of U.S. National Park Service

On June 27, 1776, as the Declaration of Independence was being signed in Philadelphia, the colonists of the Anza expedition arrived at their destination in what would become San Francisco. Both of these events would dramatically shape the cultural and political landscapes of the United States. In 2025 and 2026, the Anza Trail invites communities along the historic path of the 1775-76 colonizing expedition to commemorate the complicated and evermore fascinating history of the paths and events that make up this National Historic Trail.

Third leg of the expedition from Mission San Gabriel to Monterey including campsites 99, 100 and 101 in Contra Costa County. Map created by Emanuel Delgado. Source: National Park Service

Campsites and Trail in Contra Costa County

A map of the Third Leg of the Anza Expedition shows three campsites in Contra Costa County with the Arroyo del Puerto Dulce campsite 99 in Rodeo, the Arroyo de Santa Ana del Flugino campsite 100 in Concord and the San Ricardo campsite 101 along the Antioch/Oakley border.

According to the Juan Bautista de Anza Historic Trail website, “On April 1st (1776) the group camped at a small stream. Today, the campsite is at the conjunction of Parker and San Pablo Avenues and Rodeo Creek. A commemorative marker from the 1976 reenactment is on Parker Road between 4th and 6th Streets in front of the post office in the town of Rodeo.”

The Anza Expedition campsite 99 historic marker in Rodeo, campsite 100 historic marker in Concord and campsite 101 historic marker at the Antioch/Oakley Regional Shoreline. Photos by Andrew Ruppenstein. Source: The Historical Marker Database HMdb.org

According to The Historical Marker Data Base, a marker designating campsite 100 in Concord is located on Grant Street south of Olivera Road. The marker designating campsite 101 is located in the Antioch/Oakley Regional Shoreline park at the end of Bridgehead Road.

The East Bay Park District’s Delta de Anza Regional Trail is named to commemorate the route taken during de Anza’s expedition into the Delta region of today’s East Contra Costa County. The paved, multi-use hiking, bicycling and equestrian trail currently spans over 15 miles of the planned 25-mile length. When completed, it will generally follow the East Bay Municipal Utility District’s corridor and the Contra Costa Water District’s canal.

This trail connects communities in central and eastern Contra Costa County and provides access to regional and community parks, many schools and Los Medanos College. It intersects Antioch’s Mokulumne Trail and the Marsh Creek Regional Trail in Oakley. It connects the cities and communities of Concord, Bay Point, Pittsburg, Antioch and Oakley and provides access to Contra Loma Regional Park and Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve through Antioch’s Worth Shaw Community Park. See driving map of Anza Historic Trail

Symposium

The East Bay Anza 250 Symposium will take place on Saturday, April 11, 2026, 9AM-4PM and is a collaborative gathering that explores the expedition’s impact on the East Bay, honors Indigenous legacies, and fosters dialogue about how this history informs our present.

The symposium will include:

  • Live Performances
  • Keynote Speakers
  • Panel Discussions that Dive into the History, Teaching, and Environmental Impacts of the Expedition.
  • An Exhibit Hall Filled with Cultural Exhibitions and Displays

Symposium registration is $30 for General Admission and $20 for students and seniors.

Lunch is included in your registration fee if reserved before April 1st, 2026.

To register, please visit the Eventbrite site for Grassroots Poetry using the QR code.

Keynote Speakers: Our speaker series brings together a vibrant tapestry of voices to explore the multifaceted legacy of the Anza Expedition. By pairing the scholarly insights of local historians and naturalists with the deeply personal narratives of expedition descendants, we aim to provide an inclusive history that honors the trail’s complex past.

Panel Discussions: Join our interdisciplinary panels, featuring local historians, expert naturalists, and descendants of the expedition, for a compelling look at the impact of Anza 250 years later. These sessions bring together diverse voices to explore the environmental, cultural, and personal history of the trail, offering a unique, in-depth, and engaging perspective on this historic journey.

Exhibit Hall: Our Exhibit Hall is a testament to the power of community partnership. The exhibit hall is a collaborative space showcasing exhibits and information from local historical societies and land management agencies. Connect with local experts in this dedicated space for a deeper, context-rich understanding of the historical and cultural significance of the Anza Trail.

Event Information:

The Event is Saturday, April 11th, 2026, from 9AM until 4PM with a lunch break at noon.

An optional walk will take place along the trail that intersects with the LMC campus at 8AM.

All members of the community are invited to join us and enjoy the speakers, poets, and music guests!

About our location:

The Los Medanos College Student Union is located on the campus at 2700 East Leland Road, Pittsburg.

We encourage all symposium attendees to consider alternate ways to get to campus. You can bike, walk, carpool or take public transportation. If you plan to arrive by car, parking is free on the day of the event. More information about how to get to campus here: LMC Transportation and Parking Information

Thank you to all our partners for your support:

  • Grassroots Poetry
  • Independent Arts and Media
  • Los Medanos College Honors Program
  • National Park Service
  • Anza Trail Foundation
  • Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy
  • Contra Costa County Historical Society
  • Museum of the San Ramon Valley

For more information contact Dwayne Eubanks, Chair East Bay Anza 250 Symposium at EastBayAnza@gmail.com.

This event is brought to you by Grassroots Poetry and Los Medanos Honors Program and fiscally sponsored by Independent Arts Media, a 501(c)3 organization.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

LMC refocuses César Chávez awards to La Fuerza del Pueblo: Farmworkers’ Movement Legacy Awards

By Leave a Comment

Artwork by The Herald.

In response to allegations against the late farm workers’ union leader

By Juliet V. Casey Geary, Director of Marketing & Media Design, Los Medanos College

Greetings from Los Medanos College,

In light of recent news concerning César Chávez and allegations of abuse of women and minors, Los Medanos College (LMC) is reorienting the awards that honored his legacy to focus instead on the collective work and values that are being recognized to strengthen community, social justice, labor rights and leadership. Since 1995, LMC has honored generations of activists, service providers, educators, students and more. We are proud of that tradition and will continue to honor the leaders born out of East Contra Costa County’s agricultural community. This year we will offer La Fuerza del Pueblo: Farmworkers’ Movement Legacy Awards.

Honorees will receive recognition at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 3, 2026, in the Student Union Conference Center, 2700 E. Leland Road in Pittsburg. This event recognizes community members who stand as models of service, activism and non-violent social change. This year’s award categories include:

Exemplary Community Service

For long-standing commitment to service to others, sacrifice, helping the most needy, determination, non-violence, acceptance of all people, respect for life and the environment, celebrating community, knowledge, and innovation.

East County Educator Award

For demonstrating a commitment to student success and equity, particularly for students of color and those from low-income families.

La Fuerza del Pueblo Spirit Award

For emerging/student leader(s) who embodies the spirit of the movement, and who within the past year, made a significant impact on the local community in the areas of advocacy and social justice.

Legacy Award Values

  • Service to Others: Empowering individuals by engendering self-determination, self-sufficiency and self-help, rather than charity.
  • Sacrifice: Recognizing the obligation every individual has to contribute to their community, despite having to endure great hardship.
  • Help the Most Needy: Supporting efforts to reach those in need, those dispossessed, and those most forgotten individuals.
  • Determination: Instilling an attitude that through steadfast commitment, patience, and optimism, people can overcome great adversity.
  • Non-violence: Achieving social and economic justice and equality through bold and courageous action.
  • Tolerance: Promoting and supporting ethnic and cultural diversity as a means toward informing and strengthening communities.
  • Respect for Life: Holding land, people, and all other forms of life in the highest regard.
  • Celebrating Community: Sharing expressions of cultural identity through art, song and dance.
  • Knowledge: Pursuing self-directed learning, the development of critical thinking, and constructive problem-solving.
  • Innovation: Creating strategies and tactics to resolve problems and situations that often seem insurmountable.

About Los Medanos College (LMC): LMC is one of three colleges in the Contra Costa Community College District, serving the East Contra Costa County community. Established in 1974, LMC has earned federal designations as a Minority-Serving and Hispanic-Serving institution. It offers award-winning transfer and career-technical programs support services, and diverse academic opportunities in an inclusive learning environment. With exceptional educators, innovative curriculum, growing degree and certificate offerings, and state-of-the-art facilities, the college prepares students to succeed in their educational pursuits, in the workforce, and beyond. LMC’s Pittsburg Campus is located on 120 acres bordering Antioch, with an additional education center in Brentwood.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Concord woman charged with vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated

By Leave a Comment

Took life of 41-year-old Pleasant Hill female cyclist

Bail set at $350K, bonded out of custody Thursday morning

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office

Martinez, California – On March 17, 2026, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office charged a Concord woman in a DUI-related hit-and-run collision that took the life of a Pleasant Hill woman.

45-year-old Angelina Marina Solis faces charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage causing injury, driving with a .08% blood alcohol content causing injury, and leaving the scene of an accident. Three charges have enhancements: One with fleeing the scene of a crime and two for great bodily injury to the victim.

At approximately 1:49 a.m. on March 8th, Solis was traveling northbound on Contra Costa Blvd. when she ran a red light at the intersection of Taylor Blvd. in Pleasant Hill. Her vehicle struck a 41-year-old Pleasant Hill woman who, along with another individual, was crossing the street in a marked crosswalk. After the collision, Solis fled the scene.

Pleasant Hill Police responded to 911 calls from bystanders and immediately rendered aid to the female bicyclist who had sustained critical injuries after being struck by the suspect’s vehicle. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. The other individual was uninjured.

During the investigation into the fatal crash, officers located and arrested Solis later that morning. She was taken into custody with bail set at $350,000, booked into the Martinez Detention Facility and posted bail the same day.

Officers continued their investigation and presented the case to the District Attorney’s Impaired Motorist Prosecution and Crimes Team on March 17th. The IMPACT Team, a specialized unit dedicated exclusively to prosecuting serious DUI fatality and injury cases, reviewed the case and filed charges in Superior Court.

This afternoon, Solis appeared in court and entered not guilty pleas to all charges and denied all enhancements. Her next court appearance – a preliminary hearing — is scheduled for March 27th at 8:30 a.m. in Department 27 at the A.F. Bray Courthouse in Martinez.

District Attorney Diana Becton said, “Driving under the influence is a serious and entirely preventable problem. This tragic incident is exactly why the IMPACT Team exists — to hold accountable those who choose to drink and drive and, as a result, kill or injure others. We hope that greater awareness of the legal consequences leads to more people making responsible choices before getting behind the wheel.”

Case No. 01-26-01626 | The People of the State of California v. Angelina Marina Solis

See People v Angelina Marina Solis Complaint

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report