Charges: Motorist going at least 80 mph, drunk when he caused fatal collision in Twin Cities

A motorist was going at least 80 miles per hour and was drunk when he caused a rear-end collision in Fridley that killed the other driver, according to charges.

Juan Carlos Rodriguez-Torres, 26, of Coon Rapids was charged Wednesday in Anoka County District Court with criminal vehicular homicide while under the influence of alcohol and with gross negligence, and drunken driving in connection with the collision late Monday morning that killed Romell Sandoval Roca, 50, of Maryland.

Rodriguez-Torres remains jailed in lieu of $100,000 bail ahead of a court hearing on Feb. 3. A message was left Friday with his attorney seeking a response to the allegations.

According to the criminal complaint:

Police arrived at the crash scene in the 6600 block of East River Road NE. and saw Rodriguez-Torres, smelling of alcohol, walking barefoot around his SUV and with a bleeding cut on his forehead.

Emergency medical personnel provided immediate attention to Sandoval Roca, but he was declared dead at the scene.

One of several witnesses said the SUV came around a curve onto East River Road at 80 to 90 mph, lost control and hit the car from behind. The SUV then hit a curb, flipped a few times and hit some trees.

Rodriguez-Torres was booked into jail, where police found suspected marijuana in a jacket pocket. Law enforcement collected blood from him to test his degree of intoxication.

The charges noted that Rodriguez-Torres has been cited multiple times for speeding.