Two young men who killed a 45-year-old pedestrian during an illegal street race in Moreno Valley pleaded guilty to felony charges, leading to a two-year suspended prison sentence for one, and the prospect of a four-year term for the other.
Miguel Angel Garcia Valdez, 24, of Perris and Jorge Eduardo Diaz, 21, of Moreno Valley on Wednesday entered into separate plea agreements with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. Valdez admitted a charge of reckless driving, and in exchange, prosecutors dropped three related counts.
Riverside County Superior Court Judge Sean Crandell certified the terms of the plea deal and sentenced the defendant to two years behind bars. However, after his time spent in county jail was factored, as well as state correctional credits, the sentence was voided, and he was released from the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta.
Diaz admitted a charge of hit-and-run resulting in death and a sentence-enhancing allegation of fleeing the scene of an accident. Prosecutors dropped three related counts, resulting in a stipulated sentence of four years in prison.
At the request of the defense, the judge postponed sentencing until March 3, 2023, apparently to permit the defendant to resolve personal affairs. As of Thursday, he remained held without bail at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.
Mario Hernandez of Moreno Valley was killed on March 6, 2021, when Diaz struck him at the intersection of Heacock Street and Sunnymead Boulevard.
According to sheriff’s officials, Diaz and Valdez squared off in a late-afternoon race eastbound on Sunnymead, with Diaz at the wheel of a Jeep Cherokee, and Valdez driving a Chevrolet Camaro.
Investigators said the pair reached highway speeds on the four-lane city street, trying to out-maneuver one another as they approached Heacock, where Hernandez was attempting to cross in the pedestrian right-of-way.
Diaz plowed into the victim and kept going, according to sheriff’s officials. Valdez also continued eastbound.
There were multiple witnesses, and paramedics arrived within minutes, but Hernandez was pronounced dead at the scene.
While detectives were gathering evidence and speaking to the witnesses, Diaz returned to the location and acknowledged his involvement in the hit-and-run, according to investigators. Valdez also drove back to the intersection and spoke with detectives.
Both men were taken into custody on the spot.
Valdez had no documented prior misdemeanor or felony convictions in Riverside County. However, Diaz had one traffic-related conviction from 2020, according to court records.