Man faces vehicular manslaughter charge for collision that killed one pedestrian, injured three others

A 29-year-old man has been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, leaving the scene of an accident and other charges for a collision in East Oakland last week in which he allegedly killed one pedestrian and injured three others.

The charges against Miguel Rodriguez weren’t made public until Monday, but he was charged and arraigned last Tuesday and returned to court Friday for a plea hearing.

Rodriguez, who is being held at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin in lieu of $380,000 bail, didn’t enter a plea on Friday but is scheduled to do so at a hearing on Tuesday.

Oakland police Officer Alwin Luu wrote in a probable cause statement that witness statements indicate that Rodriguez was speeding west in a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu in the 5400 block of Bancroft Avenue at 6:51 a.m. on March 29 when he swerved left to pass a vehicle in front of him and then swerved back into the westbound lanes.

The Malibu then swerved into a parked car and into residences at 5452 Bancroft Ave. and the cement staircase of 5450 Bancroft Ave. and struck four pedestrians who were standing by a driveway between the two residences, according to Luu.

The Malibu then fell back into the middle of the street and overturned onto its passenger side, Luu wrote.

Witnesses told investigators that Rodriguez was the only occupant of the vehicle and that he climbed out of its driver’s side window and fled the scene without checking on the welfare of the four men he had struck, Luu said.

Desmond King, 29, of Oakland, was pronounced dead at the scene and the other three men were transported to a hospital to be treated for severe injuries, police said.

Rodriguez was arrested near the scene a short time after the crash and the three surviving victims identified him as the suspect, Luu wrote.

Rodriguez had cuts on his body and glass in his hair consistent with being in a car accident as well as a contusion on his left upper body consistent with having an injury left by a seatbelt after a collision, according to Luu.

Officers who arrested Rodriguez observed him to be displaying signs of impairment, as he smelled of alcohol, his eyes were bloodshot and watery and he admitted to have been drinking, Luu said.

Sobriety tests later determined that Rodriguez was under the influence, according to Luu.

Officers who searched Rodriguez found suspected cocaine powder, which was wrapped in a dollar, and a white crystalline rock of suspected crystal methamphetamine, Luu wrote.

Rodriguez is charged with one count of vehicular manslaughter, three counts of driving under the influence causing injury, five counts of leaving the scene of an accident and two misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance.