Trucker in fatal Fresno County crash was on the job again. Judge orders him back to jail
The Baltimore truck driver charged in the death of a 19-year-old Fresno woman in a September crash is back in jail again.
Andre Hill Jr., 32, was out on pre-trial release awaiting his next court hearing when he violated the conditions of his release.
Fresno County Judge Edward Sarkisian ordered Hill to be taken into custody on Thursday. His bail was set at $20,000.
Hill is accused of causing Olivia Mendoza’s death on Sept. 27 when he failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Mountain View and Clovis avenues, just west of Selma.
The California Highway Patrol said Hill was northbound on Clovis Avenue and did not stop at a stop sign before slamming into the young woman’s Honda Civic as she drove westbound on Mountain View.
Hill’s big rig was carrying about 80,000 pounds of produce. He was charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. He was initially charged with DUI, but that was later dropped. He has pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter charge.
After his preliminary hearing in October, Judge David Gottlieb ruled Hill would stand trial for vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. Hill was also allowed to be out on bond until his next court hearing. But as part of the condition of his release on Oct. 17, Hill was barred from driving.
He allegedly did not abide by the probation department’s conditions. On Nov. 22 he was caught driving a big rig with a flat tire by law enforcement in Maryland. Several weeks before, Hill was also arrested related to a paternity/child support case in Baltimore.
Hill’s public defender, Dominique Moshier, tried to convince the judge that the police report from Maryland was incomplete and did not say if there was another person in the truck.
Prosecutor Justine Keel said the documents from Maryland were complete and clearly showed Hill was driving when he was not supposed to be. The judge agreed, revoking Hill’s pre-trial release.
Mendoza was remembered in her hometown of Caruthers as a “really sweet girl.” Her family and supporters are thankful Hill is back in jail.
“He has no regard for the law,” said Mary Mendoza, Olivia’s grandmother. “He was out driving a big rig again when the judge told him not to. And he was driving it unsafely.”
