A driver who fled the scene after killing a man changing a flat tire in Chula Vista pleaded guilty May 19 to hit-and-run causing death.
Raymart Martos, 21, was killed Dec. 15, 2015 while changing a flat tire at 5:30 a.m. on the center divider of southbound Interstate 5 not far from the Mile of Cars Way in Chula Vista. Martos is from Imperial Beach.
Christopher Ramirez Reyes, 30, of Linda Vista, faces a sentencing range from probation to four years in state prison, said Deputy District Attorney Christopher Chandler.
Chula Vista Superior Court Judge Ana Espana set sentencing for June 16. Reyes remains in the George Bailey Detention Facility on $75,000 bail.
The plea occurred just before his case was to be assigned a courtroom for trial, which would have lasted at least four days. Chandler said he was glad Reyes pleaded guilty because a trial would be stressful for Martos’ family members.
Reyes did stop driving after running into Martos’ Honda Civic, and even called 911. He gave his name and phone number, but that was before he spotted Martos’ body with tools around him.
Reyes later said he had a jittery passenger with him who told him to “run!” and they both fled the scene on the trolley, leaving Reyes’ Dodge on the center divider. The Dodge also had a flat tire.
Reyes did not re-register his vehicle after buying it from a Chula Vista woman a year earlier on Craigslist. Police visited her, but she could not recall the name of the buyer.
Nevertheless, Reyes’ gave his name and phone number to police in the 911 call. Reyes also got a parking ticket in his name for the Dodge and the California Highway Patrol discovered he lived in Linda Vista.
Reyes had fled to Tijuana where his girlfriend lived, and the CHP called him on his cell phone. Reyes admitted to the collision, telling one officer he had “panicked” and fled to Mexico.
His attorney, Ryan Maguire-Fong, said Reyes had no criminal record and made a mistake to leave the scene. He said Reyes is a construction worker, has a pregnant girlfriend, and has an 11-year-old son. The passenger in Reyes’ car was never identified.
