The 24-year-old woman who is suspected of striking and killing Vacaville Police Officer Matthew Bowen last week in a roadside collision made her first Solano County Superior Court appearance on Monday. She did not enter a plea and requested a court-appointed attorney to represent her.
Shackled at the waist and legs, her black hair closely cropped, Serena C J Rodriguez, sat at the defense table in Department 22 in the Hall of Justice in Fairfield and faced Judge Jeffrey C. Kauffman during an initial arraignment hearing.
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At one point, Chief Deputy Public Defender Dan Messner said it was his understanding that Chief Deputy District Attorney Paul Sequeira “is seeking” the death penalty in the case for Rodriguez.
But Sequeira appeared to say he was uncertain the DA’s Office would seek capital punishment.
Filed late Monday morning, the criminal complaint indicated Rodriguez, an Auburn resident, is charged with first-degree murder, with special circumstances because Rodriguez is reportedly a previously convicted felon.
Additionally, under the murder charge, Rodriguez faces three enhancements: the killing of a police officer engaged in the performance of his duties; a special allegation of using a deadly weapon, her vehicle; and using a deadly or dangerous weapon, a motor vehicle.
Kauffman scheduled Rodriguez’s next court appearance, for further arraignment, 1:30 p.m. next Monday in Department 1 in the Justice Center next door. The judge also denied bail for Rodriguez.
At 5 feet 1 inches and weighing 100 pounds, Rodriguez remains in Solano County Jail in Fairfield.
Following the afternoon hearing, Solano County District Attorney Krishna Abrams held a brief press conference outside the courthouse, which attracted dozens of Vacaville police officers, Solano County Sheriff’s deputies and media members.
Flanked by Vacaville Police Chief Ian Schmutzler, Sequeira, a California Highway Patrol officer and two other Vacaville officers, Abrams first expressed condolences to Bowen’s family and the Vacaville police. She briefly cited Bowen’s professional work history and spelled out the details of the criminal complaint.
But Abrams provided no further details about the case, saying she wanted to “protect the integrity” of the ongoing investigation.
As previously reported, Bowen, 32, a motorcycle officer, was struck shortly before 11 a.m. Thursday when one vehicle struck another at Leisure Town Road and Orange Drive in Vacaville. Several officials indicated online that he had died by 3:30 p.m. at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Vacaville.
California Highway Patrol released a press statement Thursday evening indicating that Rodriguez allegedly was under the influence of drugs when she was taken into custody after the collision. She fled on foot but was detained by a passerby and booked into Solano County Jail on suspicion of murder and driving under the influence causing injury and/or death.
“Matt was a magnetic personality, someone that always had a smile on his face, a positive attitude, loved his family dearly, loved this community and because of that we are all broken-hearted this evening. ” Schmutzler said later on Thursday.
Also on Thursday, Vacaville Mayor John Carli, former police chief for Vacaville, said, “It was really the rallying of people who were not police officers on duty, but they were community members that saw something happen, not necessarily sure what was happening, and they came to the rescue, and that began the process for the arriving officers to take control of the scene.”
Carli said there are not yet details about a service or ceremony, but they will be made available in the coming days.
Bowen — who joined the department in June of 2023 — is survived by a wife and two sons, according to a statement from the Vacaville Police Department. Both children are under the age of 3, according to a friend of the family, who also noted that he lived in Dixon. Bowen is also survived by his parents and a brother and previously served as a member of the Concord Police Department.
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Source: www.mercurynews.com