San Jose
Mercury News * February 27, 2001
Bail reduced for suspect in
cyclist's death
By the Mercury News
A judge Monday morning reduced the bail of a San Francisco truck
driver accused of fatally hitting a bike messenger. But it was not
enough to allow him to be released from jail while awaiting a
potential trial.
Reuben Espinoza, 42, was being held
on $2 million bail, set at his Feb. 7 arraignment. Judge Cynthia
Ming-Mei Lee reduced the amount to $1.5 million after hearing
Espinoza's attorneys describe him as a man who had turned his life
around.
Espinoza is charged with
manslaughter in the death of Chris Robertson, 30. Robertson was
riding in a pack of bike activists when Espinoza allegedly ran over
him with his big rig on Nov. 17 near China Basin.
Espinoza faces three felony charges
in the alleged road-rage incident, including involuntary
manslaughter and assault with a deadly weapon. Espinoza allegedly
threw a wooden block at Robertson as he rode his bike.
A date for a preliminary hearing
will be set March 6.
«BACK
TO CHRIS PAGE« |