A former California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer and a suspected drunk driver have been charged with murder following a deadly crash that killed four people last summer.
Charges Announced Against Angelo Rodriguez and Iris Salmeron
On March 16, 2026, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced the charges against Angelo Rodriguez, 24, and Iris Salmeron, 27, in connection with the tragic incident. Both individuals are facing four counts of murder for their roles in the crash that occurred on the 605 Freeway in the early hours of July 20, 2025.
The Incident and Allegations
Rodriguez, who was no longer working with the CHP at the time of the incident, is accused of driving at over 130 mph without justification and without his emergency lights or sirens activated. Prosecutors claim Rodriguez struck a car carrying four people, pulled over to the emergency lane, and waited for approximately three minutes before exiting the freeway and calling dispatch. However, Rodriguez allegedly failed to report his involvement in the crash and continued to drive away from the scene.
Meanwhile, the other vehicle remained disabled and stranded, which led to Salmeron’s involvement. Prosecutors allege that Salmeron, driving at more than 100 mph while under the influence, collided with the disabled vehicle, causing a fiery explosion that killed the driver, Juliana Hamori, 23, and passengers Armand Del Campo, 24, Jordan Partridge, 23, and Samantha Skocilic, 22.
Salmeron Faces Additional Charges
In addition to the four counts of murder, Salmeron has been charged with one felony count each of driving under the influence causing injury and driving with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher causing injury.
Tragic Details of the Incident
According to KTLA, Del Campo was Hamori’s boyfriend. Her aunt, Kathy Stickel, shared heartbreaking details with the outlet, revealing that Partridge had called his mother after the initial collision with the CHP car. However, the line went dead mid-sentence, and they never heard from him again.
GoFundMe Created for Victims’ Families
A GoFundMe campaign has been created by Kathy Stickel and Ashley Boyd, Partridge’s aunt, to help the families of the victims with memorial costs. As of March 2026, the campaign had raised $40,953.
Statement from Los Angeles County District Attorney
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman expressed the gravity of the situation in a statement, stating, “This horrific tragedy could have been avoided… These two defendants are now inextricably linked because they consciously chose to disregard human life over responsibility, leaving four families grieving and irreparably changing the lives of everyone affected by one night of unimaginable trauma.”
Possible Life Sentences and Bail
If convicted, both Salmeron and Rodriguez face life in prison. Prosecutors have recommended bail be set at $8 million. As of Monday, each defendant was being held on $4 million bail.
