Inset top: Ricardo Archundia Cruz appearing in Monterey County Superior Court in August 2022 (KSBW). Inset bottom: Fermin Maldonado (Alta Vista Mortuary). Background: The intersection where Cruz drunkenly sped through a red light, killing Fermin (Google Maps).
A 19-year-old man in California will spend nearly two decades behind bars for killing a 3-year-old boy, drunkenly running a red light before plowing into the toddler as he crossed the street with his father, dragging the victim more than 600 feet beneath the car as he fled without stopping. Ricardo Archundia Cruz formally pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated with an enhancement for fleeing the scene in the death of Fermin Maldonado, authorities announced.
Cruz also admitted his culpability for charges of felony assault with a deadly weapon and inflicting great bodily injury for leaving Fermin”s father, Regino Vivar, in critical condition.
According to a news release from the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, the crash took place while Cruz was driving on East Alisal toward Wood Street at about 6:20 p.m. on July 26, 2024.
“Despite heavy traffic he was driving at 50 MPH in a 25 MPH zone,” the release states. “He had an open beer can in the car and admitted to being under the influence of alcohol. As he approached the intersection of Alisal and Wood Streets he continued at 50 miles per hour despite the light changing from green to yellow and then red.”
Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.
Prosecutors said Cruz was nearly 1,000 feet from the intersection when the light changed from green to yellow. Despite the traffic signal, Cruz continued speeding towards the intersection “without slowing down for 10 seconds,” even after the light turned red.
As Cruz was barreling towards the intersection, Maldonado and Vivar were properly crossing the street after waiting for the “walk” sign and remaining within the crosswalk.
“Regino was holding Fermin’s hand and tried pulling him back when he noticed the defendant entering the intersection,” prosecutors wrote. “Regino was struck and thrown 60 feet, suffering severe injuries but he survived. Fermin went under the defendant’s car, was trapped, and was dragged as the defendant fled the scene. Fermin’s lifeless body was eventually expelled from under the car over 600 feet away from impact.”
Fermin’s mother was seven months pregnant at the time of the crash, Salinas NBC and ABC affiliate KSBW reported.
Authorities said that after he struck the father and son, Cruz “continued to speed recklessly” from the scene of the collision. After traveling to San Diego, Cruz attempted to flee across the southern border to Mexico before officers with the Salinas Police Department were able to convince him to return to the U.S. and turn himself in. He was ultimately arrested on Aug. 4, 2024.
Cruz is currently scheduled to appear before Monterey County Superior Judge Pamela L. Butler for his sentencing hearing on Oct. 22, where she will hand down a stipulated sentence of 17 years, prosecutors said.
