Accused drunk driver ran red light and fatally hit 3-year-old, CA officials say
An accused drunk driver ran a red light and fatally struck a 3-year-old crossing the street as his guardian tried to pull him to safety, California prosecutors say.
Now, Ricardo Archundia Cruz, 19, has pleaded no contest to “gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and an enhancement for fleeing the scene” in the death of Fermin Maldonado, the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office said in an Aug. 27 news release.
Attorney information for Cruz was not immediately available.
Cruz drove in Salinas the evening of July 26, 2024, with an open can of beer in the car at a speed of 50 miles an hour, twice the speed limit, prosecutors said.
Cruz continued driving at the same speed as he approached a light turning from green to yellow, when he was more than 900 feet from the intersection, prosecutors said.
The light turned red but Cruz continued, speeding through the intersection without slowing down 10 seconds after the light had changed, prosecutors said.
At the time, Fermin and his guardian entered the crosswalk at the intersection when their light turned green, prosecutors said.
The guardian was holding Fermin’s hand when he noticed the car speeding toward them and tried to pull him back, prosecutors said.
The guardian, however, was hit and thrown 60 feet, prosecutors said, adding that he suffered severe injuries but survived.
Fermin ended up trapped beneath the car and dragged as Cruz fled, prosecutors said.
“Fermin’s lifeless body was eventually expelled from under the car over 600 feet away from impact,” prosecutors said.
Cruz did not stop and sped away, prosecutors said.
In a GoFundMe, Fermin’s family said they were “devastated” by his death.
“He was an amazing little boy, always smiling, full of joy,” his family said.
After getting a ride to San Diego, prosecutors said Cruz fled to Mexico.
Fermin’s mother, Martina Maldonado, told KSBW in July 2024 she prayed the driver accused in her son’s death would be found and that she finds “justice for my boy.”
Salinas police eventually convinced Cruz to return to the country to stand trial, prosecutors said.
Cruz was arrested at the San Ysidro Border Crossing on Aug. 4, 2024, prosecutors said.
In addition to gross vehicular manslaughter, prosecutors said Cruz also “admitted culpability for a felony assault with a deadly weapon and admitted inflicting great bodily injury upon a second victim.”
Cruz is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 22 and expected to receive a 17-year prison sentence, prosecutors said.
Seaside is about a 115-mile drive south from San Francisco.
This story was originally published August 28, 2025 at 3:46 PM with the headline "Accused drunk driver ran red light and fatally hit 3-year-old, CA officials say."
