The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office has filed a four-count complaint against a 34-year-old Pittsburg man for his role in a hit-and-run collision that took the life of 17-year-old Brooke Jeffrey.
The following information is from the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office:
Roberto Matthew Sainez was arraigned in Superior Court in Martinez Friday on vehicular manslaughter, a hit and run that resulted in the death of another person, destroying evidence, and driving with a suspended or revoked license for a DUI conviction. The manslaughter charge comes with an enhancement of fleeing the scene after committing the offense.
The incident occurred around 7:15 pm on March 7, 2023, near Black Diamond High School in Pittsburg. Pittsburg Police received a call about a pedestrian who appeared unconscious and likely hit by a vehicle. When police arrived on the scene at Stoneman Avenue near Briarcliff Drive, they found the teen lying in the center of the road. Police and medical personnel administered life-saving measures.
However, the teen was pronounced dead after being transported to a local hospital.
Pittsburg Police initiated an investigation of the incident — which led them to Mr. Sainez as a suspect. He was arrested on March 15th and booked into the Martinez Detention Facility. During the arraignment, Deputy District Attorney Jeff Kolko noted that Sainez not only fled the scene after striking the teen with his vehicle, but also took action to cover up the evidence. A family member of the victim also spoke in court asking Judge Nancy Davis Stark to consider the lack of remorse in Sainez’s actions. After hearing from the victim’s family member and Mr. Kolko’s request to increase Sainez’s bail, the judge increased the bail amount from $200,000 to $1,000,000.
Hit and run deaths are more common than driving and drinking deaths. The perps run because they do not have the right to drive a vehicle. If the police have stops to check for drinking they should also check for a license, registration and insurance. Jail time if you don’t have everything needed.
.
Your suggestion for a gestapo-like surprise checkpoint to verify licenses, registration, and insurance is a slippery slope with the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution.
.
Your right hit and run is better. Sorry.
I think you missed the point I was making.
.
Checkpoints for only license, registration, and insurance, absence of anything else, fails the probable cause test. Law enforcement would have no other reason to conduct the stop and therefore no probable cause to require providing that information. That could be deemed “unreasonable” to do so.
That is current CA law… I wouldn’t give State legislators any ideas to enable police to do so. I mean, they could deem uninsured drivers as a “crisis” and draft legislation to enable this type of checkpoint.
.
Be careful what you ask for.
.
We seem to be living in a different time than years ago. We have thousands who are here illegally and don’t care about our laws and then we have thousands born here with the same attitude. I wouldn’t care if I got stopped and checked. In San Jose they seem to be running people down everyday and not stopping and San Francisco isn’t far behind. The lawlessness has to stop or we will not survive. If the politicians made that the law it would be the only reasonable thing they have done in years. I would rather live in an organized society than a lawless one. Fat chance of them doing that unless it was White people breaking the law.
Failure to use your turn signal or not having a front license plate might well get you a face to face with Clayton PD. Have zero qualms about Police conducting a traffic stop. In fact commend Clayton for being proactive.
A lot of hit and runs are because the person WAS drunk and they didn’t want to be caught drunk.
Good job LE! …now Becton do yours and keep ’em behind bars – no bail!