A 26-year-old man pleaded responsible Tuesday for his function in a lethal hit-and-run exterior a Golden bar final yr.
Ernesto Avila, throughout a disposition listening to Tuesday in Jefferson County court docket, pleaded responsible to driving underneath the affect, obstructing a peace officer and false reporting to authorities, all misdemeanors. As a part of the plea settlement, prosecutors agreed to drop the remaining felony fees.
Investigators say a chaotic, drunken brawl precipitated the hit-and-run within the early morning of Oct. 9, 2022, exterior the Rock Relaxation Lodge on Mt. Vernon Street.
Avila and his cousin, Ruben Marquez, had been on the bar for a birthday celebration after they had been confronted by two males who requested about Avila’s gang affiliation, he instructed investigators final yr. A fistfight ensued earlier than the cousins left the bar.
Marquez then bought in his truck and drove right into a crowd exterior the bar, authorities stated. The assault killed Adrian Ponce, 26, and injured six others.
The district lawyer charged Marquez with first-degree homicide and assault. He’s set for his arraignment on Wednesday.
Avila, who was within the passenger seat through the incident, investigators stated, confronted fees of accent to homicide and accent to assault.
