A DUI suspect has been charged with the murder of two 21-year-old women who died after he crashed into their car in Hemet over the weekend, officials announced Wednesday.
Jesus Rios, a 33-year-old man from Downey, was also charged with DUI causing bodily injury in the early Saturday incident that killed Emily Hale and Dane Adkins-Radford, and seriously hurt Alyssa Salas, according to a court filing.
The three victims were stopped at a red light in a Honda Fit hatchback when Rios rear-ended their vehicle in a BMW 535i, according to the Hemet Police Department.
Rios tried to flee the scene but “a witness prevented his escape,” police said.
Footage from the crash site showed the back of the Honda crashed into the backseat. On a sidewalk nearby, the BMW had its front hood damaged and windshield shattered.
Adkins-Radford was pronounced dead at the scene while Hale died at Riverside University Health System Medical Center, according to the county coroner. Officials did not say which one of them was driving.
Rios is in jail on $1 million bail, county inmate records show. He’s scheduled to be arraigned in court on Thursday, according to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
Family members have created a GoFundMe page for funeral expenses for Adkins-Radford and Hale, as well as for medical costs for Salas.