Man accused of killing Tulare Western Dean of Students charged with murder

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Exactly one week after being sentenced for a DUI that happened in 2018, authorities say 23-year-old Izeah Almaguer got behind the wheel of an Infiniti I30 and crashed into a car carrying 49-year-old Rudy Carrasco, an administrator at Tulare Western High School.

Five hours after the crash, Carrasco died from his injuries.

Last Friday, Tulare Police said Almaguer caused the crash by running a stop sign and was drunk at the time. His blood alcohol content was .13 percent.

On Tuesday, Tulare County prosecutors charged Almaguer with second-degree murder, which he was told could happen when he pleaded in his first DUI case nearly three weeks ago.

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"Second-degree murder in this situation is where somebody does an act that they know is likely dangerous to human life," says Tulare County Assistant District Attorney David Alavezos. "When somebody has a prior DUI conviction, they are told by the court that if you drive while intoxicated, this is dangerous to human life. Sometimes people's friends tell them if you get in the car, you're drunk, you could cause an accident, you could die."

The district attorney's office also charged Almaguer with three other DUI-related felonies, including driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury.

Add two misdemeanors to the charges: driving with a suspended license and unlawful vehicle operation for driving a car that didn't have a functioning interlock ignition device.

Later on Tuesday afternoon, a Tulare County Judge read Almaguer his charges, entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf, and denied him bail.

"California constitution allows me to do no bail on a homicide case," says Tulare County Judge Hon. Ricky Tripp. "I intend to follow that in this case because I consider you to be a danger to the community on the very act that you were warned not to do. So no bail on any of your cases."

Almaguer will be back in court on March 20th in Porterville. He faces life in prison if convicted.