A March 30 trial date was set Jan. 30 for a Spring Valley man who is charged with murder in the intentional ramming by a car of a National City man who died two days later following a fight at a drive-thru restaurant.
Darius Risberg Watkins, 20, pleaded not guilty to killing Jorge Alberto-Rocha Osuna, 26, of National City, who was struck by Watkins’ vehicle on June 16, 2014, at 2:30 a.m. following an altercation at an East County McDonald’s restaurant.
Ten witnesses testified in the preliminary hearing conducted by El Cajon Superior Court Judge John Thompson over two days. Deputy District Attorney Will Watkins, who has the same last name as the defendant but is not related to him, said both men did not know each other.
Prosecutor Watkins said someone began banging on the victim’s car in the McDonald’s drive-thru lane, which caused several occupants of Osuna’s car to get out. Watkins was behind Osuna’s car; several people also left his car and a fight ensued.
After Osuna drove off, Darius Watkins followed Osuna to his brother’s home in the 3600 block of Avocado Village Court in La Mesa. Osuna was struck while in the driveway of the condominium and pinned against a wall.
Osuna was critically injured and died two days later in a hospital. The medical examiner testified that Osuna died from multiple blunt force trauma injuries. His brother testified as did sheriff’s deputies.
Darius Watkins surrendered to sheriff’s deputies at the McDonald’s about 12 hours later. He remains in the South Bay Detention Facility on $1 million bail.
