Suspect of deadly hit & run crash pleads not guilty

A man accused of running down a homeless woman with his pickup truck and leaving her to die in Coachella pleaded not guilty Tuesday to felony and misdemeanor charges. Jose Fernando Reyes, 24, of Coachella, is charged with felony hit-and-run causing death or injury, and three misdemeanor counts of driving while his license was suspended or revoked, driving without a license and possession of controlled substances.

He also faces a sentence-enhancing allegation of causing an accident resulting in serious injury or death.

Reyes is accused of crashing into 56-year-old Leletia Meyers of Indio around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday on Avenue 48, east of Dillon Road, then leaving the scene without stopping or offering assistance, said sheriff’s Sgt. Tim White. Meyers was pronounced dead at the scene.

Deputies initially knew the driver was a man in a pickup, but the only vehicle description available was that the truck likely had front-end damage as a result of the collision.

About 6 p.m. Thursday, sheriff’s deputies identified and arrested Reyes in the 51000 block of Frederick Street in Coachella. Reyes was being held at the Riverside County jail in Indio in lieu of $150,000 bail.

He is due back in an Indio courtroom on June 23 for a felony settlement conference.