LAPD Sergeant Arrested In Hit-And-Run That Killed Teen

SANTA ANA, CA — A Los Angeles police sergeant arrested in connection with a fatal hit-and-run that killed a 19-year-old in Tustin pleaded guilty Tuesday to probation violation stemming from a 2011 DUI conviction.

Carlos Gonzalo Coronel, a veteran LAPD sergeant, has not been charged in the hit-and-run death of 19-year-old Imanol Salvador Gonzalez Saturday. Coronel was arrested on suspicion of hitting Gonzalez before 4 a.m. Saturday near Nisson Road and Del Amo Avenue and fleeing the scene, according to Tustin police.

The Orange County District Attorney's Office has not announced charges in connection with the fatal hit-and-run. Coronel, of Buena Park, was booked into the Orange County Jail on Sunday, according to court records.

On Tuesday, he was sentenced Tuesday to 30 days in jail for the probation violation and given credit for four days behind bars, according to court records.

He was arrested after Tustin police officers responded to a report of a "person down in the roadway" Saturday and, found the victim and debris from a car indicating a hit-and-run, police said.

Investigators later determined the suspect vehicle was a black 2021 Chevrolet Silverado crew cab pickup truck, police said. The registered owner of the vehicle was Coronel, and he was arrested hours later when he showed up for duty at LAPD’s Newton Division, The Los Angeles Times reported.

Tustin Police Sgt. Ryan Newton told the Times, investigators suspect Coronel had been drinking at the time of the crash.

Coronel appeared in the jail courtroom in Santa Ana Tuesday afternoon on the probation violation stemming from a DUI in 2011, according to court records. Coronel pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs on Sept. 24, 2011.

According to court records, Coronel was originally sentenced to 129 hours of community service but failed to complete them, and his probation was revoked Dec. 26, 2012.

The Los Angeles Police Department issued a statement saying the agency is "committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and accountability. We do not tolerate misconduct of any kind, and any violations of department policies or the public trust are taken seriously. All allegations of officer misconduct are thoroughly investigated, and appropriate action is taken to ensure accountability. Our commitment is to serve and protect the community with fairness, respect, and transparency."

According to The Los Angeles Times, there have been two fatal hit-and-run crashes in the last two months involving LAPD officers suspected of driving under the influence.

City News Service contributed to this report.