FRESNO, Calif. — A suspect is under arrest following the deadly Fresno, California crash that killed Martha and Adrian Hernandez on Monday.<\/p>\n
Timothy Seth Chavez turned himself in late Monday night, nearly 24 hours after the crash.<\/p>\n
Police believe he ran a red light and smashed into an SUV, sending it into the Dry Creek Canal. They say he fled.<\/p>\n
“Turning himself in is always good,” KFSN Legal Analyst Tony Capozzi said. “Running away is not a good idea unless there may be some circumstances you’re trying to avoid.”<\/p>\n
Potential charges for Chavez include vehicular manslaughter, hit-and-run, and driving with a suspended license and without insurance.<\/p>\n
“He’s looking at least six years, and by running away, that adds a consecutive sentence of at least five,” Capozzi said.<\/p>\n
Capozzi says Chavez’s criminal record shows at least six driving infractions.<\/p>\n
A witness told police Chavez appeared drunk at the scene.<\/p>\n
“Running away from the accident is going to prevent anyone from investigating, requiring a breathalyzer, requiring him to take a blood test,” Capozzi said. “So there’s no way for the police to determine whether or not he was under the influence.”<\/p>\n
With Chavez in jail, flowers and candles now mark the crash site as the community remembers the young boy and his 41-year-old mother.<\/p>\n
Friends on social media know the mom as Patty. She was a nail tech in Old Town Clovis.<\/p>\n
“This was my niece’s co-worker,” a woman wrote on Instagram. “My niece said she always inspired her to be a great nail tech.”<\/p>\n
The mother and her son were driving home from an Easter celebration with family when they lost their lives.<\/p>\n
The legal process is now expected to take months.<\/p>\n
“An investigation may still be going on, and even after the charges are filed by the DA, there may be additional charges if there’s additional investigation,” Capozzi said.<\/p>\n
The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office has until Thursday to formally file charges.<\/p>\n
As of Tuesday afternoon, county prosecutors are still waiting to receive the case from police.<\/p>\n