Victims' friends heckle man after alleged DUI crash killed mother, daughter
LIVERMORE, Calif. (KTVU) - The driver in a suspected drunk driving crash that killed a mother and toddler over the weekend in Livermore made his first court appearance Tuesday morning.
Thirty-five-year-old Brian Jones was heckled by the victims' family friends as he left the Alameda County Courthouse in Pleasanton.
"We need justice for her and her mom," shouted a woman in the crowd that followed Jones to his car. "Every time that you breath, every time you open your f***ing eyes, you are a murderer. Killer!" Another in the crowd yelled, "How does that feel to kill two innocent people...and you was drinking!"
Jones was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated after he allegedly got behind the wheel of his 2014 Corvette drunk, and plowed into the back porch of an apartment on Murrieta Boulevard in Livermore.
The car hit and killed Esperanza Morales-Rodrigues and her 14-month old daughter, Juli.
Alameda County District Attorney spokeswoman, Teresa Drenick, said the D.A.'s office is still reviewing the case. Because Jones posted bail over the weekend and is not sitting in jail, prosecutors have more time to file any charges.
"What kind of more proof they need? They need more bodies to be in there," asked Dalila Hall, a friend of the victims' family. "It's not fair. It's not justice." "I don't know how he can wake up and still live with himself like that," Caroline Henriquez said through tears. "I'm shaking. I'm disgusted...I live on that street and it's heartbreaking!"
Jones said nothing outside the courthouse, but his attorney, Ernie Castillo spoke briefly.
"We want everyone to know Mr. Jones is truly remorseful for everything that happened," Castillo said while the victims' family friends shouted "murderer" in the background. "He's been an emotional wreck every second of the day over what happened. He's extremely sorry for what happened." Jones' next court date is May 28th.
The victims' family set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for funeral expenses. As of Tuesday afternoon it had raised more than $21,500.