Fresno gang member who fled from officers charged with murder in crash that killed Clovis woman
The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday charged a Fresno gang member with murder after he was involved in a crash in downtown Fresno that killed a 19-year-old Clovis woman last month.
Marc Cain Rodriguez, 31, escaped from officers following the collision that killed Hannah Pimentel until he was arrested last week in Phoenix. The DA’s Office said he is also charged with evading an officer causing death and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Rodriguez had a prior “strike” conviction under California’s Three Strikes law, the DA’s Office said. If convicted, he is facing a maximum sentence of life in state prison.
He had active warrants for failing to appear in court on weapons possession charges and was in violation of his release conditions following a prison commitment for a prior evading an officer charge in 2018, according to the DA’s Office.
Rodriguez was arrested in Phoenix on Friday and is facing extradition. The DA’s Office said it’s working with Arizona authorities to return him to Fresno County as “quickly as possible” and he will be arraigned upon his return.
Separate charges are pending against at least three additional individuals for conspiracy to obstruct justice for the benefit of a criminal street gang in connection with this case, according to the DA’s Office.
Rodriguez had a warrant out for his arrest on charges of murder and illegal possession of an assault rifle after he allegedly fled from law enforcement in downtown Fresno on May 12, drove in the opposite direction of a one-way street and fatally struck Pimentel while she was driving.
Pimentel, a student at Fresno City College, died at the scene.
Police said Rodriguez did not attempt to render any aid to the driver and took off running.
Authorities had been looking for Rodriguez since.
Police said Rodriguez also threw a loaded assault rifle out of his driver’s side window as he initially fled from officers.
This story was originally published June 1, 2021 at 4:41 PM.
