HAYWARD — A Manteca man has been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter for allegedly running a red light and killing the driver of another car while drunk and high, court records show.
Brayan Romero-Flores, 22, was charged with vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, leaving the scene of an accident, and driving on a suspended license. Police say that at the time of the Feb. 19, 2023 crash, Romero-Flores was on probation for a prior drunk driving conviction.
The victim, 50-year-old Jorge Esteban Jimenez, was described on an online fundraising page as a father of two who was on his way to pick up one of his daughters from volleyball when he was killed.
“Jorge’s passing was completely unexpected, and the tragedy left his family devastated,” the page says.
Police say Romero-Flores ran a red light at W. Winton Avenue and Clawiter Road in Hayward, at around 7:30 p.m. the night of the crash. He reportedly collided with Jimenez’s car and attempted to run from the scene, but police arrested him a short while later, according to court records.
Romero-Flores was briefly hospitalized with injuries, police said. His blood alcohol level was measured at .11 and cannabis was found in his system too, police said in court records.
Romero-Flores is out of jail on $50,000 bail while the case is pending, records show.
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