The suspect in a fatal New Year’s Day crash on GW Parkway was illegally behind the wheel of his pickup truck, authorities say.
Carlos Jose Hernandez Romero did not have a driver’s license when he fatally struck a woman in an SUV while apparently speeding and driving the wrong way on the Parkway, according to a sworn U.S. Park Police affidavit.
“It is my understanding that Hernandez does not possess a valid driver’s license,” an investigator stated in the document, dated Jan. 2.
The 27-year-old has been charged with both DUI and DUI involuntary manslaughter. He faces a maximum of 11 years of incarceration if convicted.
The victim, identified only as “L. Fonville” in documents, was pronounced dead at the scene. More information on her identity is not included in publicly available documents.
Around 11 p.m. that evening, Hernandez had been traveling near Roosevelt Island and exits to I-66 and Route 50 when he struck an SUV, killing its lone occupant, police said.
“Responding officers located two severely damaged vehicles: a pickup truck on its side, pointing North, that was missing its left front axle; and an SUV,” the affidavit says. “The driver of the pickup truck, later identified as HERNANDEZ, was observed extracting himself from his vehicle. The driver of the SUV, later identified as L.F., an adult female, was pronounced dead on scene.”
When asked whether he had consumed any alcohol before the crash, Hernandez admitted to ingesting “a little bit,” according to the affidavit. A breath test was not completed, however — likely due to Hernandez’s fractured sternum limiting his ability to blow into a breathalyzer — and Hernandez did not consent to a blood test, the document says.
Hernandez is also accused of speeding at 65 mph on the 40-mph highway at the time of the crash. An affidavit noted that the speed was determined by the pickup’s speedometer being stuck at 65.
The suspect, who was taken into custody by federal authorities shortly after the crash, was transferred into the custody of local authorities on Jan. 29.
Hernandez is scheduled to next appear in Arlington General District Court on May 12 for a preliminary hearing, where it will be determined if there is enough evidence to send his case to a grand jury.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti confirmed to ARLnow that her office has taken over the case from federal prosecutors and that Hernandez was arraigned in Arlington on Jan. 30.
