Crime & Safety

Hit-Run Charges Dropped in Crash That Killed Soldier

Prosecutors dropped the felony charge against an 18-year-old driver involved in last week's wreck that killed a two-time Iraq War vet stationed in Los Alamitos.

A felony hit-and-run charge was dismissed today against an 18-year-old Hacienda Heights man involved in a crash on the Orange (57) Freeway that killed a Los Alamitos soldier and Iraq War veteran Army Staff Sgt. Muhdin ``Mo'' Jemal.

Gonzalo Gonzalez was charged with hit-and-run causing death and misdemeanor driving without a valid driver's license, but the more serious charge was dropped because investigators tracked down a witness Tuesday who led prosecutors to conclude the teenager's part in the March 1 multiple-vehicle collision did not kill 30-year-old Jemal, according to Deputy District Attorney Alison Gyves.

The witness told investigators Jemal was going 85 to 90 mph on the freeway on his Yamaha R6, weaving in and out of traffic when he pulled up next to a big-rig gravel hauler and failed to steer into a bend in the road, causing him to slam into the truck, Gyves said.

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``That threw him off the motorcycle and under the hauler,'' killing him instantly, according to the coroner, Gyves said.

The Dodge Durango Gonzalez was driving struck Jemal after he rolled under the truck, Gyves said.

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``We are still looking for the driver of that truck and we want to question them,'' Gyves said, adding investigators aren't sure if the driver would have been aware of the collision given the size of the vehicle.

Another vehicle also struck Jemal, but that driver, a woman from Arizona, stopped and was not cited, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Another car also hit the downed bike, but not Jemal, and two cars collided as they slowed while coming upon the crash scene, according to the CHP.

Gonzalez was tracked down at the Fullerton home of his girlfriend's father, to whom the sport utility vehicle was registered, after officers found the vehicle's license plate at the crash scene, according to the CHP.

Gonzalez will still face the misdemeanor charge, Gyves said.

Jemal served two deployments in Iraq from 2004-05 and 2010-11, according to one of his Army buddies, Command Sgt. Major Troy Eck.

Jemal was assigned to the First Battalion, 140th Aviation Assault Helicopter Battalion based in Los Alamitos, Eck said.

A funeral was held for Jemal at the Islamic Society of Orange County mosque in Garden Grove Tuesday, and a memorial service was planned for March 16 in Hangar 1 of the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, Eck said.

 - City News Service


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