The Antelope Valley Times

Your community. Your issues. Your news.

  • Home
  • Latest News
  • Local
    • Palmdale
    • Lancaster
    • Los Angeles County
    • Littlerock
    • Lake Los Angeles
    • Rosamond
    • Edwards AFB
    • Acton
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Advertise
    • About
    • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Show Search

Man pleads not guilty in 14 freeway fatal crash

by K. Enrique • March 14, 2013

Passenger Joseph Contreraz died on the 14 Freeway after an alleged DUI crash on Feb. 16.
Passenger Joseph Contreraz died on the 14 Freeway after an alleged DUI crash on Feb. 16.

LANCASTER – A 29-year-old man accused of crashing his car on the Antelope Valley (14) Freeway while drunk last month, resulting in the death of his passenger, has pleaded not guilty to murder charges.

Elder Higueros entered the not guilty plea Wednesday in an Antelope Valley courtroom, where he was arraigned on charges of murder and vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.

The charges stem from a Feb. 16 crash that claimed the life of 29-year-old Joseph Ralph Contreraz.

Higueros was speeding northbound on the 14 Freeway, just south of Avenue N, when his 2007 Toyota drifted off the left side of the roadway onto the dirt median, causing Higueros to lose control, according to a California Highway Patrol report.

The vehicle traveled back across the roadway, plowed through a guardrail, and then traveled up a dirt embankment before flipping onto its side, the CHP report states.

The single-vehicle crash blocked traffic for approximately four hours.
The single-vehicle crash blocked traffic for approximately four hours.

Contreraz, a passenger in the vehicle, was thrown onto the roadway and pronounced dead at the scene.

Higueros was arrested shortly after the collision and has been jailed on $1 million bail since the crash. After entering a not guilty plea Wednesday, Higueros was ordered back to custody with bail to remain at $1 million. He is due back in court on Thursday, April 11, for a preliminary hearing.

–

Filed Under: Crime/ Safety

6 comments for "Man pleads not guilty in 14 freeway fatal crash"

  1. danny says

    September 3, 2013 at 3:19 pm

    If the passenger is found to have been drunk too its his fault for being there. He had no better sense than to get in the car with a drunk driver. If the driver would have hit an innocent bystander and killed them, thats a different story. That passenger could be no less innocent of DUI and that driver if he is found to have been drunk.

    • SS says

      September 4, 2013 at 11:40 am

      If you don’t know the details to the story than u s houldn’t say anything no matter what the driver is responsible!! No matter what th situation is a life was lost over drunk driving!! My heart will b forever broken! I lost my other half that nite!

      • Daniel says

        September 7, 2013 at 9:09 am

        I am commenting on the story above and the details reported here. You have no right to say that I cannot say anything. This is a comments section.

  2. abe says

    August 21, 2013 at 9:47 am

    [removed] all u guys hating he wasnt drunk he fell asleep on tge wheel

  3. gonetoosoon says

    March 14, 2013 at 2:30 pm

    After reading the above story, how can a person plead “not guilty”??
    It was his car, he was driving, he was driving while intoxicated. He crashed his car. Contreraz was killed. If Contreraz was not in Higueros car,if Higueros wasn’t driving while intoxicated, if Higueros didn’t crash the car then Contreraz would not have been killed…guilty, guilty, guilty.
    If the story is true, I hope Higueros is found guilty and pays the price.
    My prayers are with the friends and family of Mr.Contreraz.

  4. Martha says

    March 14, 2013 at 9:56 am

    God bless the family and friends of the man who died and shame on the driver. You decided to fly high after drinking and it resulted in the loss of human life. Now it’s time to pay the price.

Recent Comments

  • Off Duty on L.A. County sheriff’s deputy pleads not Guilty in off-duty rape case: “This guy sounds like another quality hire.” Jan 16, 00:47
  • BAE SYTEMS on Antelope Valley Hospital administering COVID-19 vaccines to frontline workers: “of course money and political personnel always get away with everything age and priority doesn’t count for them” Jan 15, 21:47
  • Beecee on New report finds coronavirus reduced life expectancy for Blacks and Latinos: “Dave’s already tying one on, And it was only a touch after 5. It’s 5 o’clock somewhere huh buddy” Jan 15, 20:46
  • Beecee on Lancaster man killed in crash involving big rig: “Another unfortunate covid death” Jan 15, 20:43
  • Tim Scott on Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy reported being at Capitol on day of insurrection: “Well, in the long history of crimes committed by LACSD deputies sedition would be new, but hardly surprising.” Jan 15, 19:44

© 2021 · The Antelope Valley Times. All rights reserved. Terms of Use