BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Court documents filed with the Kern County Superior Court show that 32-year-old Evaristo Perez Nunez, the man charged with killing a 9-year-old during a deadly hit-and-run, was possibly under the influence, unlicensed, and told multiple people about the crash.
On Jan. 7, around 3:30 a.m. Nunez was involved in a crash with another vehicle in the area of Cottonwood and East Pacheco Roads. According to court documents, Nunez then left his vehicle, a red 2004 Cadillac Escalade, and fled the scene. The victim vehicle was carrying four children, one of whom -- 9-year-old Emiliano Hernandez -- died from his injuries at Kern Medical.
Police were able to determine the Escalade belonged to Nunez and responded to his home. Nunez told police that he had left the Escalade parked in-front of his home the night before as he worked on his girlfriend's car. He said it was unlocked with the keys inside, according to court documents.
Police spoke to Nunez's girlfriend to confirm his story. At first, Nunez's girlfriend claimed he worked on the car for a few hours and then the two of them went to sleep, but court documents show officers did not believe this.
According to court records, police confronted Nunez's girlfriend and she told them she was "afraid of retaliation" if she told the truth.
After police assured her, Nunez's girlfriend said Nunez told her he was involved in an accident the night before and had fled.
Another witness officer spoke to told them Nunez called him the night of the accident. According to court documents, the witness told officers Nunez called and told him he was involved in an accident and fled "because he had been drinking beer."
Court documents state that as officers attempted to arrest Nunez, he "physically and violently" resisted, injuring an officer in the process.
The investigation revealed Nunez was unlicensed at the time of the crash.
Nunez is being held on $1 million bail and is facing charges of felony hit-and-run causing death and resisting an officer, among other charges.
Nunez is set to be back in court Jan. 22.
