Man pleads guilty to fatal Salinas hit-and-run, to be sentenced to 4 years

The man responsible for the death of a woman and injury to her six-year-old daughter has pleaded guilty.

34-year-old Jorge Osio Ramirez is charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and hit-and-run causing injury.

On October of 2017, 41-year-old Bernadina Leon was crossing Main Street. While in the crosswalk, Leon and her daughter were hit by Ramirez’s vehicle. The impact caused them to fly 80 feet from where they were hit.

Leon died days later at the hospital and her daughter was released with minor injuries.

Ramirez left the scene of the accident and was found two days later. When interviewed, he told Salinas Police Officers he was driving to work when the collision occurred. He stated he knew the location well and had traveled that same road many times. On the evening in question, he saw the lights flashing and was aware that this meant there were either pedestrians in the crosswalk or that a pedestrian had just crossed the street. Despite seeing the flashing lights Ramirez chose to look down at his lunchbox to grab a Gatorade. When he looked back up he saw the victim and by the time he saw her it was too late to stop. When he struck the victim with his vehicle she flew up on top of the hood of his car. Ramirez stated he slowed down for a few seconds and then fled the scene.

Next month, Ramirez will be sentenced to four years in prison.

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