Preliminary hearing set in Turlock triple-murder case

A judge has scheduled a preliminary to start Aug. 24 for a man charged with murder in the deaths of a 4-year-old boy, his mother and his grandmother, who were struck by a vehicle in Turlock.

Luis Miguel Cruz, 29, of Turlock has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, along with one count of hit-and-run causing death. He remains in custody at the Stanislaus County Jail.

At the conclusion of the August preliminary hearing, the judge will decide whether there is enough evidence for Cruz to stand trial as charged.

On Sept. 6, Brian Flores, his mother, Julia Flores, 20; and his grandmother, Elena Flores, 47, were hit by a vehicle as they walked on a sidewalk in southwest Turlock. Emily Flores, 2, was walking with her brother, mother and grandmother but wasn’t injured.

Witnesses told police that the car was speeding in the area when it missed a turn and struck the two women and the boy. The car then slammed into a house, and the driver, later identified by police as Cruz, and a passenger got out and ran away.

Deputy District Attorney Anthony Colacito has said in court that Cruz’s blood-alcohol level was “over twice the legal limit.” The prosecutor also said that after Cruz hit the family, rather than stop to try to help, he tried to leave but was detained by passersby.

This story was originally published April 23, 2015 at 1:10 PM with the headline "Preliminary hearing set in Turlock triple-murder case."