An Escondido community is reeling after a 20-year-old man, Alexander Tito Oroz, pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from a devastating DUI crash that claimed the life of a 13-year-old boy, as the emotional court arraignment unfolded with family members of the victim and the accused in attendance. NBC San Diego reports that Oroz faces up to 12 years and eight months in state prison if convicted of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, among other charges.
Oroz, who is under the legal drinking age, had a blood alcohol content of .097 40 minutes after the crash happened last Saturday around 10 p.m. at the intersection of North Broadway and Country Club Lane, according to court statements, the horror of the high-speed impact - investigators estimate Oroz's car was traveling between 91 and 119 miles per hour in a 40 mph zone - led to Rodrigo Tapia Jr.'s death, Oroz's girlfriend sustained injuries, and the driver of the pickup truck Oroz hit remains hospitalized, CBS 8 detailed.
Heartbreak gripped both Oroz’s and the victim’s families in the courtroom where the prosecution branded Oroz a threat to public safety – it's said he showed “no regard for public safety when he was speeding through a 40 mph posted zone at 91 to 119 miles per hour” – the community mourns Rodrigo, remembered fondly by Quantum Academy for his leadership and love of sports; a GoFundMe has been established to assist with funeral expenses and a fundraiser is planned by Rodrigo’s Little League team, CBS 8 reports.
Norma Tapia, Rodrigo's mother, in a statement that resonated with palpable grief, recounted to CBS 8 how she had seen Oroz as a "sweet guy" before the incident and shared the agony of learning that her son pleaded for Oroz to stop the car before the crash, the Escondido Police Department meanwhile is urging potential witnesses to come forward, Hoodline has provided the contact information for Officer Paul Smyth for anyone with information on the incident.
Oroz's defense argued he has strong community ties and no previous criminal history, and he is seeking his release under certain conditions and supervision. Stay Fresh Beauty, and Barber College supports the Tapia family through a charitable initiative, offering $5 haircuts with proceeds going to the family from May 2 to 4.
