A 39-year-old man accused of assaulting a Temecula resident and leaving him in an intersection near the Pechanga Resort Casino, where he was fatally struck by a car, was charged Wednesday with murder.
Alex Leyva of Vista was arrested Sunday following a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation into the death of 35-year-old George Fresquez.
Leyva, who is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Byrd Detention Center, was slated to make his initial court appearance Wednesday afternoon at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.
According to sheriff’s investigators, around 11:45 p.m. Saturday, Leyva was involved in an unspecified dispute with Fresquez at the intersection of Pechanga Parkway and Wolff Valley Road, less than a block from the main resort entrance.
Sgt. Mike Kelleher alleged that during the confrontation, Fresquez was knocked out and left lying in the southbound lanes of Pechanga Parkway.
“After the assault occurred, the victim was struck by a vehicle,” Kelleher said.
The motorist apparently didn’t see him in time to stop, and according to the sergeant, the driver continued southbound after running over the victim.
A patrol deputy spotted Fresquez while driving through the intersection and immediately stopped to attempt CPR. Kelleher said county fire paramedics arrived minutes later and took over the resuscitative measures, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Central Homicide Unit detectives assumed the investigation, and hours later identified Leyva as the alleged assailant, though no details were released regarding evidence.
The defendant was taken into custody without incident at 9 a.m. Sunday near the intersection of Pechanga and Temecula parkways, three miles from where the alleged attack occurred.
“Investigators also identified the vehicle and driver who struck the victim,” Kelleher said.
The party, whose identity was not disclosed, was detained for questioning but ultimately released.
“Alcohol did not appear to be a factor in the collision,” Kelleher said.
Leyva has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.
Who releases a driver who hit someone and kept on going? There should be legal consequences for, if anything, being a complete jackass with no common sense.
They should be charged with a felony hit and run. They hit someone and rendered no aid. Left the scene, charges should be filed against that driver. What law officials are in charge of this circus?
Wealthy people in LA get away with hit and runs all the time. How can you not locate the owner of a Maserati or a rare Porsche, we have data bases for that. The wealthy do not pay for these “accidents” Plus, they were probably drunk or high when they ran over the poor guy.