BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — It’s been five days since three women were killed in a crash outside of Lamont and family members are upset about what they call an unacceptable ruling by the judge overseeing this case.
“I’m sorry your honor, I mean no disrespect, but you can’t allow a bond on this gentleman who killed three people,” said Elias Mateo, son-in-law of Gabina Santiago de Arias, when he directly addressed Judge Bryan K. Stainfield.
The families of Yolanda Godinez, Gabina Santiago de Arias, and Darli Santiago pleaded directly to Judge Stainfield to not set bond for Jose De Jesus Velazquez-Gomez.
Velazquez-Gomez is accused of three counts of vehicular manslaughter, after a crash on Friday morning outside of Lamont that killed three women.
Their families are not at peace with the judge’s ruling.
“There’s no justice being made and we feel like, we feel ignored,” said Heriberto Arias, son of Gabina Santiago de Arias, “Just the fact that he is being held with bond after considering three deaths.”
“The fact that they’re giving this gentleman $150,000 dollar bond, and he’s walking like nothing happened, he doesn’t even have a scratch, and he killed three people,” said Elias Mateo.
It has been a grueling couple of days for the families who say authorities have made their grieving even harder.
“We’ve all, as a family have been getting way more information than what any other police report, or from the sheriff’s, or the CHP, the coroner’s office, none, run around after run around,” said Heriberto Arias, “And from our contacts, from the people we know, we have been able to find way more information.”
The families will continue fighting for justice.
“He’s going to pay, I know God. God will make sure he pays for his consequences,” said Heriberto Arias.
Velazquez-Gomez is set to return to court on November 17 for his prelimary hearing.
He also faces charges from a 2015 DUI arrest.
