PITTSBURG – A 34-year-old Pittsburg man is facing vehicular manslaughter and other charges in connection with the hit-and-run death of a 17-year-old girl earlier this month.
On Friday, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office announced it filed a four-count complaint against Roberto Matthew Sainez. In addition to vehicular manslaughter, Sainez is charged with hit-and-run resulting in the death of another person, destroying evidence and driving with a suspended or revoked license for a DUI conviction.
The hit-and-run was reported around 7:15 p.m., on March 7 near Stoneman Avenue and Briarcliff Drive. Officers arrived to find the victim, Brooke Jeffrey, lying in the center of the road. She was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Investigators identified Sainez as a suspect and arrested both him and his fiancée – Vanessa Landeros, 30, of Pittsburg – while serving a search warrant in the 3000 block of Gladstone Drive on Wednesday.
At Sainez’s arraignment Friday, Deputy District Attorney Jeff Kolko told Judge Nancy Davis Stark the defendant tried to cover up evidence after leaving the collision scene. A member of the victim’s family also asked the judge to consider “the lack of remorse” in Sainez’s actions, according to the district attorney’s office.
In response, Stark granted Kolko’s request to raise Sainez’s bail from $200,000 to $1 million.
Online court records did not list an attorney for Sainez.
District attorney’s office spokesperson Ted Asregadoo said charges are under review for Landeros, who was arrested on suspicion of being an accessory after the fact and concealing or destroying evidence.
Source: www.mercurynews.com