Murder trial scheduled in Turlock crash that killed 3 pedestrians

A judge on Monday scheduled a trial to begin Oct. 18 for a man accused of murder in a Turlock crash that killed three pedestrians.

The trial for Luis Miguel Cruz is estimated to last about two to three weeks, said Stanislaus Superior Court Judge Rick Distaso.

Cruz, 30, of Turlock has been charged with three counts of murder and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, along with one count of hit-and-run causing death.

Authorities say Cruz was driving the car that struck 4-year-old Brian Flores; his mother, Julia Flores, 20; and his grandmother, Elena Flores, 47, on Sept. 6, 2014. 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, according to police. Cruz was detained near the crime scene by passers-by.

Cruz remains in custody at the county jail. Judge Distaso ordered the defendant to return to court May 31 for a pretrial hearing.

This story was originally published February 1, 2016 at 1:44 PM with the headline "Murder trial scheduled in Turlock crash that killed 3 pedestrians."