Judge clears trial to proceed for woman accused of murder in deadly Selma crash

SELMA, Calif. (KFSN) -- Vianey Gonzalez took the witness stand in court on Tuesday, recalling the crash that sent her to the hospital and killed 28-year-old Luis Rodriguez.

Prosecutors say the two were passengers in a car driven by Lizbeth Romero, who allegedly got behind the wheel after a night of drinking at Selma's Hideaway Bar in March 2021.

"After you left the Hideaway Bar, what was the next thing you remember happening?" the prosecutor asked.

"Just kind of waking up and not knowing what happened," Gonzalez said.

Investigators say Romero lost control and crashed her Honda Accord into a Chevy Tahoe on Floral Avenue near A Street.

The impact killed Rodriguez, who was in the back seat.

"The individual had obvious trauma to his head area, and he was unresponsive," former Selma police officer Christopher Ayala said.

Police arrested Romero after they say she ran away from the accident and hid.

Now, she has pleaded not guilty to eight charges. They range from DUI to hit-and-run, manslaughter, and even murder.

Romero had a previous DUI conviction and was put on probation just two months prior.

With the 30-year-old now facing up to life in prison, defense attorney David Balakian is pushing back.

He says the bag with Romero's blood-alcohol test might be compromised.

"There's a section that says, 'bag seals intact,' 'bag seals not intact,'" Balakian said. "And neither of those were marked," he said as he questioned Ayala.

"I'm not sure," Ayala said. "I don't recall."

The back-and-forth came as a judge considered whether prosecutors have enough evidence to take the case to trial.

Late Tuesday, the judge said they do.

Romero is now due back in court on July 31.

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