Familes of victims attends court hearing for driver accused in fatal Turlock crash
The 21-year-old Turlock man charged with driving under the influence and felony vehicular manslaughter in the death of a 14-year-old girl and injuring two other girls appeared in Stanislaus Superior Court on Wednesday as the girls’ grieving family members sat in the audience.
Kevin Alejandro Hernandez Solis’ attorney did not enter a plea on behalf of his client, with the attorney saying he had not yet received the reports from the Dec. 14 accident. Judge Carrie Stephens set a Jan. 30 court date to continue Solis’ arraignment and, at the request of the prosecutor, to review his bail.
(Authorities also have identified the defendant as Solis Hernandez, but on Wednesday he gave his name in court as Hernandez Solis.)
Solis has been out of custody since Dec. 18 after posting $100,000 bail. Stephens also ordered Solis to attend two Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings each week and provide proof of his attendance. The criminal complaint alleges Solis’ blood alcohol level was at least 0.15 percent, which is nearly twice the legal limit.
Freida Pineda, 14, died in the Dec. 14 crash in the 100 block of East Monte Vista Avenue in Turlock. Freida was in a white Toyota sedan with sisters Rebecca and Kendra Murillo, who both sustained serious injuries after being struck by a black Toyota pickup truck.
Their father said before Solis’ Wednesday court appearance that 19-year-old Kendra remains hospitalized. Seventeen-year-old Rebecca was among the roughly dozen members of the Pineda and Solis families who attended Wednesday’s court proceedings. She used a walker.
The Turlock families said they are related but declined to comment further.
“We don’t have any words to say,” said Citlali Ortiz, who is Freida’s aunt. Freida was a Dutcher Middle School eighth-grader. A Turlock Unified School District employee has described Frieda as delightful, polite, spunky and treasured.
Modesto attorney Aaron Villalobos represents Solis.
Villalobos said before Wednesday’s court appearance that he and his client would not comment as this time. Solis sat flanked by his parents outside the courtroom before his appearance before Judge Stephens.
This story was originally published January 16, 2019 at 4:36 PM.
