The 35-year-old man arrested after a mother and baby celebrating a First Communion in Livermore were killed over the weekend made his first court appearance on Tuesday, and was confronted by the victims' family members in the parking lot.
Brian Zachary Jones, who had a previous drunk driving arrest, was not formally charged with killing Esperanza Morales-Rodriguez, 40, and 14-month-old Yulida "Juli" Perez-Morales of Seaside, Monterey County, when he plowed onto a sidewalk Saturday, as prosecutors needed more time to develop a case. Jones has posted $350,000 bail.
Jones also did not speak to reporters as he entered the Alameda County Superior courthouse in Pleasanton, flanked by several people. He was ordered to return on May 28.
Outside, his lawyer, Ernie Castillo, said that Jones has been an "emotional wreck every second of the day over what happened and he's extremely sorry" and "full of remorse."
Cameras were not allowed inside the courtroom, but outside, relatives, neighbors and friends of the mother and baby shouted angry words at Jones, who mostly looked down.
They waved signs that read "Justice" in front of his car before he pulled away, and others shouted "killer." They couldn't believe that two people were dead, and that he got to go home to his bed and shower.
"I'm mad. It's unfair," said family friend Delila Hall. She and others were also angry about his past.
Court records obtained by the Contra Costa Times show that in 2003, Jones was charged with driving under the influence and for driving with a blood-alcohol level of .08 or more in Sacramento County. A month later, records show he pleaded no contest to reckless driving. The newspaper reported he was sentenced to three years of probation and spent seven days in jail.
Police arrested Jones after they say he lost control of his Chevrolet Corvette, driving with a 0.13 percent blood-alcohol content or higher, which is nearly twice the legal limit, according to Officer Ryan Sanchez.
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Police say his Corvette rammed into mother and baby who were on the sidewalk, two children in the back of the house on Murietta Boulevard Avenue, and was left for a time in a mangled heap.
Jones was arrested on suspicion of two charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury.
"He took two lives and I hope that haunts him forever because it's going to haunt me forever," family member Rosa Morales said at a vigil on Monday night.
Morales partially blames herself for the tragedy because relatives had gathered at her family's apartment to celebrate her 19th birthday and a Catholic family member's First Communion.
Simon Martinez created a GoFundMe page to send the bodies of mother and daughter back to Mexico. As of Tuesday morning, the site had surpassed it's $20,000 goal.
Morales leaves behind a 45-year-old husband, a 10-year-old son and 22-year-old daughter.
NBC Bay Area's Terry McSweeney contributed to this report.
