Inside LADA

Officer rear-ended victims’ vehicle with his cruiser, then failed to render aid or initiate traffic break to slow or stop cars

SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif. – A former California Highway Patrol officer and a 27-year-old woman were charged today with four counts of murder for their respective roles in a fiery crash that left four people dead on the 605 Freeway last summer.

“This horrific tragedy could have been avoided if a motorist accused of drunk driving hadn’t gotten behind the wheel and driven over 110 miles per hour and an on-duty CHP officer hadn’t driven over 130 miles per hour and neglected his duty,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. “These two defendants are now inextricably linked because they consciously chose to disregard human life over responsibility, leaving four families grieving and irreparably changing the lives of everyone affected by one night of unimaginable trauma.”

Angelo Rodriguez (dob 5/10/01) was charged in case 26BFCF00140 with four counts of murder.

Co-defendant Iris Salmeron (dob 11/16/98) of Bellflower also was charged with four counts of murder as well as one felony count each of driving under the influence causing injury and driving with a .08 blood alcohol content or higher causing injury.

Arraignment is scheduled for tomorrow in Department 5 of the Bellflower Courthouse.

On July 20, 2025, at about 12:50 a.m., Rodriguez is accused of driving on the southbound 605 Freeway at more than 130 mph without justification and without turning on his emergency lights or sirens moments before he struck a car carrying four people that had entered the HOV lane moments before.

Rodriguez then allegedly pulled over on the right shoulder of the freeway and waited there for approximately three minutes without calling into CHP dispatch to report the crash. Meanwhile, the car Rodriguez is accused of rear ending was disabled and stranded in the HOV lane.

Rodriguez is accused of exiting the freeway, then calling dispatch without mentioning his involvement and subsequently heading northbound on the freeway.

While Rodiguez made his way back to the disabled vehicle, Salmeron is accused of driving more than 100 mph when she plowed through the vehicle, causing a fiery explosion, killing driver Juliana Hamori, 23,of Huntington Beach; Armand DelCampo, 24, of San Pedro; Jordan Partridge, 23, of Los Angeles; and Samantha Skocilic, 22, of Westminster.

Salmeron, whose blood alcohol level was estimated to be over the legal limit, was injured along with a passenger inside her car. They were both taken to a nearby hospital.

Rodriguez who is no longer on the force, was charged with murder because his conscious disregard for life by driving at excessive speeds coupled with crashing into the victims’ vehicle, leaving the scene and putting their lives in peril was a substantial cause of their deaths. He had extensive training while working at CHP regarding safe driving and responding to traffic collisions. Rodriguez had previously been involved in two prior on-duty traffic collisions.

Salmeron, who was present at a high school event where the dangers of driving under the influence were discussed, was charged with murder because while allegedly under the influence of alcohol above the legal limit, she drove in a manner hazardous to human life, endangering the lives of many and resulting in the deaths of the four victims.

If convicted as charged, both Salmeron and Rodriguez face up to life in state prison.

Prosecutors are recommending bail be set at $8 million for each defendant.

The case is being prosecuted by Brittany Vannoy of the DUI Training and Prosecution Section and Daniel Akemon of the Justice System Integrity Division and remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol’s Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team.

The charges filed in this case are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.