43-year-old Albert Julian Flores was arrested and charged with driving under the influence in a fatal drunk driving crash that killed his passenger. According to authorities the passenger was ejected from the vehicle after it drifted right, leaving the roadway and colliding with the guardrail. The 2010 Jeep flipped ejecting the 46-year-old passenger who was not wearing a seatbelt according to the San Joaquin County Coroner’s Office. Flores is facing vehicular manslaughter charges and DUI causing bodily injury. He is being held at the San Joaquin County Jail on $2 Million bail until his scheduled court appearance on February 16, 2017. The accident occurred on Northbound I-5 south of Charter Way just after 12:30 am. It is unclear why the vehicle drifted from its lane.
Despite current efforts to reform the bail system, California has relied on bail as a deterrent ensuring that defendants do not commit additional crimes or present a safety risk for the public at large. Bail also ensures future appearances at court. While many jurisdictions utilize a bail schedule, it is ultimately set at the discretion of the judge and all defendants are entitled to a bail review hearing. Many times judges will take into consideration the seriousness of the crime, the risk to the public-at-large, flight risk and other circumstances.