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28-year-old Ricardo Castro was charged over a fatal car crash that killed a 12-year-old boy in South Gate. L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón revealed that Castro had a long history of traffic wrecks, including speeding. He is currently charged with murder in connection with the deadly crash.
After a thorough investigation, officers discovered that Ricardo Castro was possibly driving at a speed of 95 mph in a school zone with a speed limit of 25 mph. The incident took place at around 4 pm on November 3, 2021.
The 12-year-old was recognized as Isaiah Suarez Rodriguez, who was riding in a car with his sister Alexa and three adults during the incident. A GoFundMe fundraiser was initiated to meet funeral and other medical expenses of the family, and it raised over $50,000.
LA County Sheriff’s Department deputy Ricardo Castro was arrested for causing a fatal car crash that allegedly killed a young child
Ricardo Castro was off-duty when the crash happened at South Gate on November 3, 2021. His vehicle reportedly t-boned the victim's car. DA Gascón addressed the incident and said:
“Driving at 95 miles per hour was nearly quadruple the speed limit when school children are present… It shows a conscious disregard for those children’s lives. This tragedy was preventable and should have never happened.”
Ricardo Castro currently faces charges including one count of murder, one count of vehicular manslaughter, and one count of reckless driving causing great bodily injury. South Gate Police Chief Darren Arakawa said:
“We feel confident that the overwhelming and strong evidence that was gathered justifies the charges and will speak for itself in a courtroom.”
The LA County District Attorney additionally noted that Ricardo Castro had received intensive training and professional knowledge regarding the dangers of speeding. According to DA Gascón:
“Mr. Castro's recklessness ended the life of a boy with an entire future ahead of him and destroyed the family. This tragedy was preventable and should have never happened.”
Betsabe Suarez, the heartbroken mother of the deceased 12-year-old, said:
“First of all, I want to say that I love my son. I love you, Isaiah, and I miss you every single day.”
Castro is being held in LA and a bail of over $2 million has been set
As mentioned before, the GoFundMe campaign raised over $50,000. According to the post, Alexa was treated by medical staff at St. Francis Hospital and sustained a concussion, lacerations, and broken bones. The deceased 12-year-old sustained severe injuries to his abdomen, head, and brain.
The horrific car crash killed one and injured three. The post further read that he was pronounced dead at around 8.30 pm local time. It continued:
“Born and raised in Southern California. Isaiah was an avid fan of the Dodgers, Lakers, Kings, and Raiders. He was interested in becoming a chef, but like most 12-year-old boys, he loved playing games on his Nintendo Switch.”
Betsabe further stated that her son was out buying a ruler for a classmate on the day of the car crash. The family “is completely broken” by the loss.
It was further added that Ricardo Castro has been booked into the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in LA, and a bail amount of more than $2 million has been set. He now faces a potential 25 years of life.
