A probationer who ran over and killed a 15-year-old bicyclist on a Riverside street, then fled the scene, was sentenced Monday to six years in state prison.
Rosendo Morales Caldera, 37, of Riverside, pleaded guilty June 2 to hit-and-run resulting in death, as well as a sentence-enhancing allegation of fleeing the scene of a crime, under an agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. In exchange for his admissions, prosecutors dropped a misdemeanor charge of operating a motor vehicle without a license.
During a hearing at the Riverside Hall of Justice, Superior Court Judge Charles Koosed certified the terms of the plea deal and imposed the sentence stipulated by the prosecution and defense.
Caldera fatally struck Javier Gonzalez of Colton on the night of March 1.
According to Riverside police Officer Ryan Railsback, Javier was riding in the 2000 block of Main Street, near Poplar Street, a quarter-mile from the Pomona (60) Freeway, when Caldera approached from the opposite direction in a black Chevrolet pickup.
Railsback said that Javier was riding his bike near the center median northbound on Main — facing traffic.
Caldera’s southbound pickup plowed into the youth, and the defendant did not stop, Railsback said.
Riverside Fire Department paramedics reached the location within a few minutes and pronounced the teen dead at the scene.
“This collision was captured on video from several businesses in this area, which helped detectives develop information that led to them identifying the driver,” Railsback said.
On March 22, Caldera was arrested without incident at his residence, where his pickup was also seized, according to the police spokesman.
The Gonzalez family released a statement immediately afterward, saying, “We are still devastated by the loss of our sweet Javier, and we miss him every day. But we are thankful the man who killed him is now in jail, and we can slowly begin the healing process.”
According to court records, the defendant has prior convictions for possession of a forged driver’s license, vandalism, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and auto theft.