The man accused in a fatal hit-and-run in West Price Hill admitted to police that he lost control, struck something and drove away, prosecutors said in court.
Josue Lopez Gonzalez, 25, was in court before Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge Donte Johnson on June 23. He is charged with aggravated vehicular homicide and failure to stop after an accident, both felonies.
Investigators said Gonzalez was driving without a license on May 16 when he struck a utility trailer killing 46-year-old Percy Reliford.
Prosecutors said the crash was caught on a surveillance camera by a neighbor who called 911. The vehicle was tracked to its owner, investigators reported, and the owner told police that his employee, Gonzalez, was driving that night.
It took more than a month for police to track down Gonzalez, but officers said he admitted to driving that night, losing control of the vehicle and leaving the scene out of fear because he didn’t have a license.
Gonzalez’s lawyer told Johnson that her client has a 1-year-old child he supports with a job he has been at for three years. Court records show Gonzalez had a conviction last year for failing to have reasonable control of his vehicle. That case ended in a fine.
Reliford’s family came to the hearing and told Johnson they believe Gonzalez should be held in jail without a possibility of posting bond. They said Reliford was a father of six and was working at the time of the crash.
Judge Johnson set Gonzalez bond at $110,000. He is being held at the Hamilton County Justice Center. A grand jury is expected to review the case by July 2.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Fatal West Price Hill hit-and-run caught on tape by neighbor’s camera
Reporting by Cameron Knight, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cameron Knight, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
