DUI pursuit suspect connected to deputy’s death makes first court appearance

The suspect in a chase who led deputies on a pursuit that led to the death of a Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Deputy appeared in court on Tuesday afternoon.

Deputy Tony Hinostroza was on his way to assist other deputies who were pursuing Jonathan Gonzalez-Carrillo when he crashed into a traffic light pole in the southeast corner of Claribel Road and Terminal Avenue near Riverbank. Hinostroza died at the scene.

Carrillo-Gonzalez, also known as Jonathan Carrillo-Gonzalez, has been charged with felony evading, driving on the wrong side of the road during the pursuit and driving under the influence with one or more prior DUIs. He faces enhancements for each of those charges alleging they were committed while he was out of jail on his own recognizance pending judgment in a previous DUI.

He also was charged with resisting arrest and driving on a suspended license and a special allegation that he was designated a habitual traffic offender when he was last sentenced for DUI and evading in 2016. Gonzalez-Carrillo was sentenced to two years in prison in that case.

“He’s not facing any charges related to causing the crash related to Deputy Hinistorza at this time,” said Deputy District Attorney Anthony Colacito.

A year after his release from prison in May 2017, Gonzalez-Carrillo was again arrested on suspicion of DUI and was awaiting prosecution in that case when he was arrested Sunday.

Sheriff Adam Christianson said Gonzalez-Carrillo has a total of five prior DUI arrests.

During his arraignment on Thursday, Gonzalez-Carrillo stood in a gray jumpsuit and listened as Judge Carrie M. Stephens read each of the charges against him and entered a plea of not guilty and a denial of the enhancements on his behalf.

She kept his bail at $500,000, which was enhanced from the scheduled bail of $125,000, according to Colacito.

Colacito said after the hearing that Gonzalez-Carrillo faces a maximum of six years and eight months in prison if convicted of all the charges and enhancements from Sunday’s arrest and an additional eight months if convicted of the DUI from May.

He is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial hearing on Monday.

This story was originally published November 27, 2018 at 2:50 PM.