A 33-year-old Downey man was arrested and charged with suspicion of DUI, two counts of vehicular homicide, and attempted hit and run. A 21-year-old Hemet resident and her passenger were killed as a result of the accident.
On December 12 at about 4 a.m., officers from the Hemet Police Department responded to a traffic collision on Florida Avenue near Kirby Street in the City of Hemet where a BMW 535i sedan had collided with a Honda Fit hatch-back within the eastbound lanes of Florida Avenue.
The driver and passenger of the Honda were killed. Another passenger was seriously injured but is expected to survive, according to the Hemet Police Department. The driver of the BMW, Jesus Ernesto Rios, was uninjured.
According to officials, the driver of the Honda was stopped on Florida Avenue facing east for a red traffic signal when Rios rear-ended the Honda without braking. Rios allegedly attempted to flee the scene on foot. A witness prevented his escape, police said.
Rios was arrested and charged with suspicion of DUI, two counts of vehicular homicide, and attempted hit and run. He is scheduled to appear in court on December 16, according to jail records.
Florida Avenue was closed to traffic in both directions from Gilmore Street to Sanderson Avenue for several hours while the investigation was conducted.
