Rodney Deshone Wright of San Fernando pleaded not guilty Wednesday, Aug. 9, to two counts each of murder and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, one count each of driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage causing injury, and driving with a .08 percent blood-alcohol content causing injury, according to Deputy District Attorney Morgan Mallory.
The complaint includes an allegation that Wright’s blood-alcohol concentration was .15 percent or more at the time of the Jan. 21 crash that killed 27-year-old Ainsley Hall Hubbard and his brother, Aidan Cochran Hubbard, 31.
The fatal collision happened around 2:40 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, on the northbound I-405 just north of Sepulveda Boulevard, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Wright drove his Ford F-150 pickup truck southbound in the carpool lane of the northbound 405 Freeway for a few miles before crashing into the Dodge Caravan minivan driven by Ainsley Hubbard near the Sepulveda Boulevard undercrossing, according to the CHP and prosecutors.
Wright, who also sustained serious injuries in the crash, was arrested Tuesday, Aug. 8, according to LASD inmate records.
The case against Wright was filed for warrant on July 26, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Wright is due back in an Airport Branch courtroom Aug. 25, when a date is expected to be set for a preliminary hearing to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.
If convicted as charged, Wright faces a possible maximum sentence of 30 years to life in state prison. Bail is set at $4 million.
The case remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol, West Los Angeles Station.
Previous related story: Palmdale brothers killed in 405 wrong-way crash
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Tm says
I love how people question why he please not guilty, do you guys have any understanding on how the system works? Obviously not, or you wouldn’t be asking why he did …..do some research ..and for those who are gonna assume or post a dumb comment, no I am not taking his side, I am simply just asking do these people not know how the system works?
#ImwithPalmdale says
I recently went to the Antique Asylum on 6th Street in Palmdale and I saw a beautiful, I think it was a guitar cut out, that was used at the brothers memorial, for sale. Letting friends and family know so someone can go get it.
Christina says
30 years to life. Doesn’t seem enough to me. Ainsley was only 27, Aiden only 31. 58 years to life might suffice. That is how much life he took away. Take it away from him.
Geo says
I thought this was about justice for two young aspiring artists that a drunk idiot got in his truck and murdered. Then for some cowardly reason pleads not guilty!
Fiona says
I don’t know why this man doesnt man up how you ganna plead not guilty after killing two innocent people cause of your selfish self driving while drunk come on you made a choice now u have to suffer the consequenses I just ruined someone’s family and your own for what u did.
Tim Scott says
Unfortunately, it’s the system. If someone walks into their arraignment and tries to plead guilty their lawyer, the prosecutor, and the judge will all say “uhhhhh, we aren’t really prepared to deal with a guilty plea here and now.”
Sandy Knott says
I wonder if that’s what happened at old Cash Cow Ledford’s latest attempt at an arraignment.
Shane Falco says
Sandy, the DA’s office was allegedly tipped off to what Ledford was doing and they also looked at the deposition Ledford gave in 2013.
Once the DA’s investigators raided his home and office, they allegedly discovered Ledfords company he started in Nevada to continue to receive and launder “consulting” funds. They filed charges but, as is often the case, they have found more evidence and Ledford’s attorney is allegedly considering a plea on what’s existing if they won’t prosecute on new evidence.
That means the DA can postpone to amend and add to the charges before arraignment and also allows his attorney to negotiate to keep new charges from being added before arraignment.
The case is very very strong so look for Ledford to plea.
Tim Scott says
Cousin get scared about your leaking? I notice a whole lot of “alleged” suddenly appearing in your gossip. Probably a good move. Someone might complain to the DA’s office.
JPB says
Parris, Mercy, and the rest of the Fern Street Mafia gave the case to the DA. Add to that Parris’s fund raising efforts for the DA, and he phony ceremonial presentation of the key to the city to the Deputy DA, and now you have a case.
Maybe they’re hoping that after Parris’ last three failed smears with Raymond Lee Jennings, Randy Floyd, and Esmeralda Jorge, he will get lucky this time.
Don’t bet on it. They’ve tried to nail Ledford before. They failed.
Shane Falco says
I’ve put “alleged” in almost all my comments.
When his home and office was being searched, it was absolute fact and I reported as such desire your laughable libel accusation.
My information is 100% factual. Ledfords bank account and incorporation documents, will do him in. The DA doesn’t even need his co-conspirators to flip at this point.
If and when he pleas, we will see how much comes out. His supporters, like everybody who supports criminals, will look everywhere else and blame anybody else but him.
That will make for fun reading and see those grass roots palmdale champions lose all credibility.
Tim Scott says
There are smear groups on Facebook where you would be welcomed with this nonsense.
The recent postponement of arraignment in Ledford’s case was a result of the prosecution doing a document dump on Ledford’s attorneys. That’s typical of a Wrecks driven case and is a transparent attempt to just make the defense cost so much that it has to be given up.
The way it works is the prosecution just collects gigantic mountains of documents and labels them ‘potential evidence.’ The defense is required to review all of this ‘potential evidence’ at their typical billing rate of hundreds of dollars per hour. Eventually the defendant runs out of money and has to take a plea deal.
Wrecks uses the same tactic in his lawsuits. He’ll take a case where a city is clearly wrong and their risk assessment people are telling them to settle for, say, 100K. He’ll take the case for one third of the settlement, plus expenses, which he will “graciously” cover up front. Years later the case will be settled for 1.2 million, giving Wrecks 400K…but the expenses will have eaten most of the other 800K so the actual injured party ends up waiting years to collect less than they could have to start with. Of course the expenses all go to Wrecks’ various cronies who provide mountains of “expert reports,” and then support Wrecks in his political ambitions.
It’s clearly unethical, borderline illegal…and as long as everyone involved keeps their mouths shut and claims it was all good and proper it is pretty much impossible to prove.
Geo says
This is not the forum to criticize Mayor Ledford
The facts do not add up. The guys that killed these two men deserves life in prison and that is what he will get! I’m sure
Tim Scott says
The max he is facing is 30 to life, and that’s on scare charges that they probably intend to drop to get a deal. He’ll get a substantial sentence, but not life.