Arraignment delayed for ex-CHP officer, DUI suspect in 605 Freeway fireball crash that killed 4

Ex-CHP officer, suspected DUI driver to be arraigned

A now-former California Highway Patrol officer and a suspected DUI driver were set to be arraigned Tuesday on murder charges stemming from the deaths of four people whose vehicle was struck first by the patrol car and then by the second motorist on the 605 Freeway in Norwalk in a pair of high-speed crashes last summer.

LOS ANGELES - A former California Highway Patrol officer and a suspected DUI driver appeared in a Bellflower courtroom Tuesday to face murder charges in a double-impact collision that claimed four lives in Norwalk last summer. 

What we know:

On July 20, 2025, then-Officer Angelo Rodriguez was allegedly driving his patrol vehicle at speeds exceeding 130 mph without emergency lights or sirens when he struck a Nissan carrying four people. 

Following the impact, Rodriguez – who had been with the CHP since 2023 but was fired after the crash – reportedly pulled to the shoulder, deactivated his lights, and waited three minutes before exiting the freeway without notifying dispatchers of the collision.

While the victims' car sat disabled in the carpool lane, Iris Salmeron—allegedly driving over 110 mph with a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit—slammed into the Nissan, causing it to ignite, according to authorities.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 4 killed, 2 injured in fiery DUI crash on 605 Freeway in Norwalk: officials

All four occupants, identified as Juliana Hamori, Armand Del Campo, Jordan Partridge, and Samantha Skocilic, died in the second impact.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman confirmed that while the four victims survived the initial hit by the officer, the second crash caused the fatal injuries.

Rodriguez had extensive training about safe driving and responding to traffic collisions while working for the CHP, and had been involved in two prior on-duty traffic collisions, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Salmeron – a Bellflower resident whom the District Attorney's Office said had attended a high school event where the dangers of driving under the influence were discussed — and a passenger in her vehicle were injured in the crash.

What we don't know:

The specific cause of death for each individual in the fire has not been publicly disclosed. 

It remains unclear why Rodriguez was driving at "ridiculously high speeds" since prosecutors noted there was no official reason for the pace.

What they're saying:

Hochman emphasized the preventable nature of the tragedy, stating, "this horrible tragedy could have been prevented had this officer not been driving at ridiculously high speeds for no reason whatsoever... had this other individual, Ms. Salmeron, not been driving at an incredibly excessive speed, drunk." 

Hochman further added that while Rodriguez's actions were a "substantial factor," it was the second impact that "ignited the car and burned the occupants."

What's next:

The defendants remain in custody with significantly increased bail—$8 million for Rodriguez and $8.1 million for Salmeron. 

They are expected back in a Norwalk courtroom on April 27 for their formal arraignment. 

If convicted on all charges, both face a maximum sentence of life in prison.