A 21-year-old man was charged Friday with leading police on a chase that ended in a crash that killed another motorist in Placentia.
Darwin Felipe Bahmon Martinez was charged with gross vehicular manslaughter and evading a police officer causing death, both felonies. Martinez did not enter a plea Friday at his arraignment, which was rescheduled for Wednesday in the North Justice Center in Fullerton.
The chase started about 7:40 p.m. Wednesday near Miraloma and Lawrence avenues in Anaheim, Anaheim police Sgt. Eric Anderson said. Officers on patrol saw the suspect behind the wheel of a dark-colored Jeep Gladiator driving recklessly and nearly colliding with a parked car.
When the suspect nearly collided with the police vehicle, the officers pulled him over, but the driver punched the gas and drove off as they walked up to his Jeep, Anderson said.
The pursuit lasted a few minutes, then the driver slammed into two cars at Bradford and Madison avenues in Placentia, Anderson said.
An elderly woman behind the wheel of one of the cars was taken to an area hospital without major injuries, Anderson said. The driver of the other car was pronounced dead at the scene and authorities were working to contact family before releasing his name.
The victim was identified in the criminal complaint as Jose R. He was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday morning in Fullerton.