CHP Seeks New Suspect in Fatal Crash

Citing new information, California Highway Patrol officials conceded that they had arrested the wrong man and Thursday named a new suspect in a hit-and-run crash that killed two sisters who stopped to help at the scene of a freeway accident.

Police released Jesus Delfino Mendoza Martinez, a 32-year-old garment worker whose arrest Tuesday was announced at a news conference and received prominent news coverage.

A CHP spokesman attributed the mix-up to confusion over who owned the Ford sedan that police believe struck and killed Laura and Fabiola Gudino and injured a friend early Sunday morning on the Pomona Freeway. Officer Louis Gutierrez said Mendoza had turned over possession of the car the previous day to a buyer who is now suspected of being the hit-and-run driver.

Investigators arrested Mendoza after finding the car--bearing dents and bloodstains--on Atlantic Avenue near the crash site and then tracking the registration, which was still in Mendoza’s name. Gutierrez said Mendoza denied involvement but was uncooperative with police, telling them about the pending car sale only after hours of questioning.

*

As Mendoza sat jailed in Los Angeles, investigators spent two days looking into his alibi. In the end, neighbors confirmed that Mendoza was in his neighborhood around the time of the crash.

“Mr. Mendoza’s alibi did check out,” Gutierrez said.

The new suspect was identified as 21-year-old Oreste Sanchez of Boyle Heights. Sanchez, a Mexican national who had been in the United States for three months, may have returned to Mexico, Gutierrez said. The CHP will seek the help of Mexican authorities in tracking down Sanchez, last seen in Boyle Heights on Tuesday morning.

Authorities also said they arrested a roommate of Sanchez’s on suspicion of aiding and abetting Sanchez by giving police misleading information on his whereabouts. The roommate was identified as Victor Flores, 25, of Boyle Heights.

*

The new developments came on the day the Gudino sisters were buried in matching white caskets at Resurrection Cemetery in Montebello after a brief memorial service.

The sisters, both of whom worked as teachers aides, were described as “always together.” Laura, 21, studied education at Cal State Los Angeles. Fabiola, 18, had recently started classes at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College.

They were struck while walking along a freeway lane after they and two friends, returning from a party, stopped where a vehicle had overturned. The hit-and-run driver swerved to avoid the overturned vehicle and struck the two women and Pedro Hernandez before veering into the concrete center dividing wall and then driving away. Hernandez, 24, was injured, and the fourth person was unhurt.

Gutierrez defended the CHP’s handling of the case, maintaining that Mendoza initially withheld crucial information from police, including the identity of the car’s new owner.

Gutierrez said Mendoza’s conduct also raised suspicion. When police arrived at his home, Mendoza was packing his belongings and had just quit his job at a Los Angeles clothing factory, police said. Police said Mendoza denied being involved in a freeway crash even before investigators brought up the subject.

“We had probable cause. He’s the registered legal owner. He’s got to know who’s driving that vehicle,” Gutierrez said. Mendoza was booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, felony hit and run and felony driving under the influence.

Gutierrez said Mendoza was selling the car to Sanchez, who took over the vehicle Saturday after paying half of the purchase price. Police said Sanchez drove the car to his job at an El Monte tortilla factory and left work about 1 a.m., about an hour before the fatal crash.

Gutierrez said Sanchez told Mendoza the next day that he had been in a freeway crash, but did not give details. Police said it was unknown how Mendoza and Sanchez knew each other.