Attorney: Man ‘coerced’ into taking fall for crash that killed 5

An 18-year-old man who told authorities he was driving an SUV that rear-ended a van, killing five people, was actually the passenger but was intimidated into taking responsibility by the driver, his attorney said.

Charges against Jean Ervin Soriano were dropped Wednesday by Nevada prosecutors after more evidence showed another person was driving the vehicle.

Soriano was charged with multiple counts that included DUI and causing death or great bodily injury in connection with the March 30 crash that killed several members of a Los Angeles-area family.

But DNA evidence from blood in the vehicle and a footprint showed that the SUV that rammed into the rear of the family’s van was not driven by Soriano, according to his attorney Frank Cofer.

Authorities said several empty beer bottles were found in the SUV. Soriano was asked by a Nevada Highway Patrol officer how many beers he had consumed before the crash.

“Too many,” Soriano responded, according to the arrest report reviewed by The Times.

“Police should never rely solely on a confession that’s not corroborated by physical evidence,” Cofer said. “Physical evidence can’t be intimidated, it can’t be coerced.”

The only other person in the vehicle with Soriano was Alfred Gomez, 23. He was believed to be the passenger and was not tested for drugs or alcohol, according to authorities.

Cofer said he believes his client told authorities he was the driver after allegedly being “manipulated” and “intimidated” at the scene by Gomez.

A family member inside the van who survived testified she heard two men arguing at the scene about who was the driver, according to Cofer.

The five people who died were: Genaro Fernandez, 41, of Norwalk; Raudel Fernandez-Avila, 49, and Belen Fernandez, 53, of Lynwood; and Leonardo Fernandez-Avila, 45, and Angela Sandoval, 13, of Los Angeles.

Gomez’s whereabouts were not immediately known, and NHP officials were not immediately available Thursday morning to discuss what type of case authorities would be able to pursue against him.

The new findings that led prosecutors to drop charges against Soriano were revealed Wednesday in a hearing in Clark County, Nev.

“Blood evidence on the passenger window and console did match Mr. Soriano,” Cofer said.

The shoe print on the driver’s side, Cofer added, “did not match Soriano’s shoes.”

A member of the family whose van was struck and who was contacted by The Times expressed shock and sadness when told that Soriano was not driving.

“This is really hard to believe,” said Griselda Fernandez, 28, whose two parents died in the early morning crash on Interstate 15 about 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

“What if they don’t find him?” Fernandez said. “There needs to be justice. Something needs to be done.”

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Twitter: @LAJourno

robert.lopez@latimes.com