A man accused of running over and killing a 76-year-old pedestrian in Moreno Valley while driving under the influence must stand trial on vehicular manslaughter and other charges, a judge ruled Monday.
Roben Gaby Noujaim, 35, of Moreno Valley was arrested last month following a lengthy investigation by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department into the September 2019 death of Lorenzo Romero, also of Moreno Valley.
Superior Court Judge Charles Koosed found there was sufficient evidence to warrant a trial for Noujaim on the manslaughter count, as well as felony driving under the influence resulting in great bodily injury and misdemeanor driving under the influence of a controlled substance.
Koosed scheduled a post-preliminary hearing arraignment for May 26 at the Riverside Hall of Justice and kept the defendant’s bail at $1 million. He’s being held at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside.
According to sheriff’s officials, detectives completed an investigation into Romero’s death early last month, culminating in the issuance of an arrest warrant for Noujaim, who was taken into custody near his residence without incident.
According to sheriff’s Deputy Rafael Lopez, Romero was walking on Graham Street, just north of Old Valley Drive, when he was struck about 7:45 p.m. on Sept. 10, 2019. Paramedics pronounced him dead roughly 25 minutes later.
Noujaim did not flee and was taken into custody at the scene, but was released from jail that week pending further investigation.
He has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.