READING, Pa. – A man charged with homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence had his preliminary arraignment Friday.
According to the criminal complaint, on April 26 at around 2:12 a.m., police responded to a report of a car colliding with a house near the 1800 block of Hampden Blvd. Officers say the car was smoking and beginning to catch fire.
When police arrived, they found a BMW lying on its passenger side, with an injured male driver, later identified as 37-year-old Baltazar Martinez-Almanza, and a woman passenger trapped underneath the vehicle who was unresponsive. Both were transported to the hospital in critical condition, according to the affidavit.
Police say the female passenger, later identified as 38-year-old Elisa Plancarte of Maidencreek Township, succumbed to her injuries in the hospital three days after the accident. The autopsy revealed she had died from residual head trauma sustained as a result of the crash.
After further investigation, police discovered at least one bottle and one can of Modelo strewn about in the wreckage, according to officers.
Investigators say video surveillance showed both individuals at two separate bars before the crash. At the first bar, Martinez-Almanza was seen ordering drinks that he and Plancarte drank. At around 1:03 a.m., both individuals left the bar. They drove to the second bar, but they did not appear on camera again.
A blood sample was collected from Martinez-Almanza, which showed a blood alcohol content of 0.136%, according to the criminal complaint. Based on a crash reconstruction, Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) determined that Martinez-Almanza was going 133 mph before crossing over the turn lane, southbound lane, and southbound lane shoulder and hitting a fire hydrant. After the impact, the car continued across Bern St. and struck a house before coming to rest on its passenger side.
Further investigation revealed Martinez-Almanza’s driver’s record showed a prior DUI offense from July 16, 2022, in Berks County.
Martinez-Almanza was charged with homicide by vehicle while DUI, reckless driving, and similar charges. District Attorney John Adams told 69 News that he was summoned and had his preliminary arraignment on Friday. His preliminary hearing is set for October 9 at 8:30 a.m.