OAKLAND — The suspected driver of a stolen car involved in an East Oakland crash last July that left an 18-year-old passenger in the vehicle dead, has been arrested and charged with two felonies, according to authorities and court records.
Authorities said a person who knew the occupants of the vehicle helped police identify the alleged suspect.
The suspect, Brian Castaneda Rodriguez, 21, who was arrested in Hayward April 4, is charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in death or serious injury.
He has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on April 29. He is being held at Santa Rita Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail.
Another male occupant of the vehicle is still being sought as is the driver of the other vehicle involved in the collision, which also turned out to have been stolen, authorities said.
Killed in the collision that happened about 10:35 p.m. July 24 at the intersection of 38th Avenue and Carrington Street was Askari Carr, of Oakland.
According to authorities and court records, Rodriguez, Carr and the third man were in a stolen Honda Fit that was going about 68 mph in a 25 mph zone northbound on 38th Avenue. Police said Castaneda Rodriguez was unlicensed at the time.
The Honda, which had been stolen in Oakland, failed to stop for a stop sign at Carrington Street and collided with an Acura ILX car that later turned out to have been stolen in San Francisco, the records say.
The Honda hit some parked cars and rolled over several times before coming to a stop on its roof. The Acura crashed into some parked vehicles before stopping and its driver fled on foot.
Carr was ejected from the Honda He was able to run a short distance before collapsing and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Castaneda Rodriguez and the other passenger fled without trying to help Carr, the documents say.
In the course of the subsequent investigation, a person who knew the Honda occupants was able to provide investigators with nicknames and social media photos of the two who fled, authorities said.
The pictures were circulated to other Oakland police officers, one of whom recognized Castaneda Rodriguez and another who recognized the third man, authorities said.
Police said after identifying Castaneda Rodriguez, it was determined his DNA was found on the Honda steering wheel airbag that had activated in the crash.