PALMDALE – A 28-year-old man has been charged with murder in connection with the alleged DUI crash this past weekend that claimed the life of a 13-year-old Rosamond boy.
Lancaster resident Peter Ramirez IV on Tuesday was charged with murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, felony DUI causing injury and driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08% or greater and causing an injury, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.
Ramirez appeared in an Antelope Valley courtroom Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to all charges. His bail was raised from $250,000 to $1 million, according to court records.
Ramirez is accused of driving drunk on April 13 and causing a single-vehicle collision that killed a 13-year-old boy and put a 2-year-old girl in the hospital with injuries. The fatal collision happened around 8:13 p.m. on the northbound Antelope Valley (14) Freeway, just north of Avenue O in Palmdale.
According to the California Highway Patrol, Ramirez was driving a 2007 Saturn Ion northbound on the freeway when he allowed the vehicle to travel onto the dirt center median.
He turned the steering wheel to the right, and then the vehicle crossed all the northbound lanes, crashed into a raised dirt embanked and flipped onto its side, CHP officials said.
A 13-year-old passenger died as a result of the collision, and a 2-year-old girl sustained abrasions to her body and a laceration on her head, CHP officials said.
Ramirez sustained abrasions to his arms and legs, and he was taken into custody on suspicion of driving under the Influence, according to CHP officials.
Another adult riding in the vehicle – 21-year-old Rosamond resident Matthew Tucker – was not injured in the collision, CHP officials said.
After pleading not guilty to murder and three other felony DUI-related charges on Tuesday, Ramirez was ordered back to county jail. He is due back in court on April 26 for a preliminary hearing.
Previous released story: UPDATED: Freeway crash kills 13-year-old, DUI suspected
UPDATED 4/26/13: The preliminary hearing for Peter Ramirez that was scheduled for April 26 has been postponed to June 4, 2013, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.
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soapbox journal says
I think I have lost a few brain cells reading these posts. First off some of the post use horrible grammar, and formats. This site has spell check, use it. The accident was horrible, a child lost his life, a man has lost what ever future he had for any number of years, I hope he can overcome the penalties and the consequences of his choices of drinking and driving, his choices of living the life he lived. The parents are still at fault for putting their children in the car with this man. I do not care what the circumstances of why the children were in the car with the driver, nothing is more important than your children, or any child for that matter. Prayers are offered to all involved.
Concerned says
Everyone can sit and point the finger at the driver as it is fact you don’t drink and drive and that is something he will live with the rest of his life, however there is the other side of guilt/finger pointing to be placed here as well…Who would put their own child and siblings into the car of the person they had been drinking half the day and night with and follow him in their vehicle? Any responsible parent would of stayed put and not driven anywhere, henceforth had they not put their child and siblings in his car that innocent little boy would have not died, and the little girl not injured, that’s called child endangerment and people have had their children taken away for less, but oh no because their victim in this story their negligence doesn’t come into play, the best outcome to this story is the driver get prison time and the parents who put there child and brothers in the drivers car have the child taken away and put into a home of parents who are responsible… You weep what you sow~
Dee says
Don’t Drink & Drive PERIOD!
Mike says
Peter is a known party animal. He was always driving drunk and he used drugs on a daily basis. The car he was driving belonged to someone else. What gets me is that his family, friends, neighbors and co-workers knew he was constantly drinking and driving. I feel sorry that the young boy who was killed. Peter knew he had been drinking and got behind the wheel drunk. Now he has to pay the price for his careless behavior. At least the streets and highways are a lot safer now that he’s in jail.
DONT DRINK AND DRIVE PERIOD.
lenal says
All I can do is laugh at your lies an move on. what a weirdo.
Chryystal says
Peter used to be a party animal 7 years ago. before him and i started dating he used to be like that. but then when him and i were together he calmed down MAJORLY! he stopped going to parties and cut down MAJORLY on drinking. after him and i separated he focused on work and getting back to school. i know he needs to serve time because of what happened but i’m sick of people trying to make him sound like some kind of monster! he is a good man and always put his friends first before everything! yes he made a bad decision and needs to pay the price for it but saying he’s a known party animal is false. he was once like that years ago but calmed down majorly in the passed 7 years that i’ve known him. we may have been seperated for the past few months but i know he has been focusing on getting his life together. this was a tragic accident that could’ve been avoided. he is at fault for drinking and driving but in his mind he was thinking of helping his friends! and as for those who put the children in his car knew he had been drinking too. he is not the only one to blame. yes a majority of the blame does fall on him and he’ll pay the price for what has happened. but stop trying to make him sound like a monster he is a good man who has always cared about his friends and do all he could to help his friends. even a few people who met him only that night know that he is a good man. so stop trying to lie about a good man just because your angry. anger wont help anything. I may be his ex but i knwo he has a good heart
JJB says
How the hell do you know what he did on a daily basis or what his family was aware of? Were you around him on a daily basis? I dont think so, but IF you were I can guarantee you never opened your big mouth to him before. Idiots like you turn tragedy into travesty with your stupid comments. Furthermore, no one knows what transpired that night because he hasnt had his day in court. You choose to rely on articles that are rarely accurate. When it comes time to take responsibilty I can assure you that Peter will do just that, with remorse in his heart as I believe he has now. It’s as if you thrive on misery. Youre sad,Mike.
NotAgain says
WHAT? A FREAK ACCIDENT? @ CHRYSTEL METH,, YOU MUST BE HIS GIRLFRIEND!!! LOL
THAT WASN’T NO ACCIDENT!!! THE GUY WAS DRUNK AN HE KILLED AN INNOCENT CHILD! THATS MURDER!!
Chelsea says
NotAgain – First of all, her name is Chryystal. Second, HELL NO she is not his girlfriend! The guy was an idiot! She’s just defending him to an extent! Good people do bad things all the time – that’s why it’s called an accident. As for the charges, unintentionally killing someone with a vehicle is not murder; it is manslaughter. Yes, he must be charged for the death of an innocent child. But it’s not murder. Please educate yourself.
JJB says
Educate your damn self you moron! You call him an idiot, then refer to him as a “good person” who does bad things a few sentences later. Are you bi-polar?. I suppose an idiot can be a good person as well but something tells me youre evil ass didnt mean it that context. And why was he an idiot, may I ask? Because he wouldnt play dress up?(I know it sounds weird, but trust me, it makes sense) Kick rocks Chelsea.
chryystal says
I’m not his girlfriend and im sure they’re is about more to the story than people realize
NotAgain says
I TAKE IT Y’ALL BOTH HIS GROUPIES!!
FIRTS OF ALL THAT WAS NO ACCIDENT!!!
THE GUY WAS DRUNK SO WHY DO YOU KEEP CALLING IT AN ACCIDENT!!!
HE WAS AN ADULT KNOWING HIS LIMITS!!! OBVIOUSLY HE MADE A DECISION THAT WOULD CHANGE HIS LIFE!!! NOW HIS CRYING TO THE JUDGE SAYING HIS NOT GUILTY!!!!
THIS IS MAN SLAUGHTER!!! MAYBE YOU TWO GROUPIES NEED TO BE IN JAIL WITH HIM!!
chryystal says
I am not saying he should not go to jail nor am I saying hes innocent. I know he messed up and should accept the consequences for his actions. But I also know he did not purposlt crash that car and did not purposely cause the boy to loose his life. It was his poor judgement to drink and drive and he will pay the price. But also thing about something. Why were the children in his car? He did not force them there. He was trying to help take them home. In his mind he was trying to help which is what he always does, tries to help. I know he screwed up and he will pay the price for his mistakes. When I first dound our there was an accident I was scare for the people in the car. When I later found out he was intixicated and a young boy lost his life. I was furious and blinded by anger. But I knew I needed ti calm down even a little and get ALL the information first. Peoplw are trying to make him sound like a monster. He is not a bad guy he just made a bad decision which he will pay the consequences for
chryystal says
I do wish this didnt happen and I do hope for the best for the boys family. I jnow rhis is hard on them..
Rhonda says
I am sorry to inform this reporter’s info. But Matthew Tucker was injured in this crash also! I personally have seen and tended to his injuries….
Bree says
Thank you i was just about to post the same thing i saw his injuries to im a cousin to them
NotAgain says
NOT GUILTY??? WHAT A JACK [removed]!!!! YOUR ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS WAY OVER YOUR LIMIT. YOU KILLED SOMEONE AN YOU STILL HAVE THE NERVES TO PLEA NOT GUILTY!!!! WELL YOUR GOING TO HAVE PLENTY OF TIME IN JAIL TO THINK WHAT YOU’VE DONE!!! GOOD LUCK AN TRY NOT TO DROP THE SOAP IN JAIL!!!!
dumbandblind says
That’s coming from the advice of his Defense Attorney thinking that not all DUI charges stick. It may be far better that he plea bargained together with the prosecutor so that he can get a reduced sentence as well as a lighter penalty. Bottom line the end result will always be what matters.
D.R. says
What’s he supposed to do???….Walk into court and plead guilty right off the bat? Do you know how the criminal justice system works? SMH
NotAgain says
THERE’S A THING CALLED CONSCIOUS AND HE WILL HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE!!
D.R. says
I totally agree….now answer my question.
chryystal says
And he is suffering with it more than people know. This was a freak accident. It couldve happened to anyone. It is sad that it happened to a man whoi was kind hearted and always put his friends needs before his own
HMMMM.. says
A DUI isnt a freak accident
Mark says
I agree HMMMM nothing freaky about it. he chose to drink and drive. due to his poor judgement a young child was killed. its hard enough to control a vehicle that gets out of control sober. I’m sure he does have remorse chryystal, but that will be something he has to live with. maybe he will never get behind the wheel after drinking.
Palmdale_Steve says
Ah yes the always popular “Freak accident” excuse that occurs when someone gets all liquored up and crashes their car and in this case kills someone.
Which part of DUI do you not understand?