Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley filed murder charges Tuesday morning against a man suspected of driving under the influence in a crash that killed a California Highway Patrol officer on Christmas Eve.
Hayward resident Mohammed Ali, 22, is believed to have been under the influence of alcohol and marijuana when he rear-ended a parked patrol car around midnight Dec. 24 on southbound Interstate Highway 880 in Hayward, killing Officer Andrew Camilleri and injuring Officer Jonathan Velasquez.
In addition to second-degree murder, the charges against Ali include driving under the influence of alcohol, driving with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher causing injuries to Velasquez, driving under the influence of a combination of drugs and alcohol, as well as driving at speeds of over 100 mph, according to O'Malley.
There have been six deaths related to alleged DUI collisions in Alameda County since Thanksgiving, O'Malley said.
"That loss of life is avoidable, if every driver acts responsibly and lawfully," O'Malley said.
"Over the holidays, hundreds of arrests were made for driving under the influence in Alameda County," O'Malley said. "When we will we say enough is enough?"
Assistant Chief Ernie Sanchez, commander of the CHP's Golden Gate Division, said the message is clear.
"Drinking and driving is socially unacceptable," Sanchez said. "Smoking marijuana and driving is as unacceptable."
The Alameda County District Attorney's Office is providing support and resources to the families of the officers through their victim-witness assistance program.
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Mohammed Ali of Hayward facing murder charges in the death of CHP Officer Andrew Camilleri. More at 11am @nbcbayarea pic.twitter.com/5GkajUweCx — Pete Suratos (@PeteSuratosTV) January 2, 2018
22 year old Mohammed Ali of Hayward has been arrested & charged with 2nd degree murder & felony DUI for the Christmas Eve death of CHP Officer Andrew Camilleri. pic.twitter.com/IDf162HXiV — Jodi Hernandez (@JodiHernandezTV) January 2, 2018
