A 29-year-old driver accused of having a blood-alcohol content nearly three times the legal limit in a crash that killed a 5-year-old boy and injured other family members was charged Wednesday with vehicular manslaughter.
Charges against Ceferino Ascencion Ramos, of Santa Ana, were upgraded following the death of 5-year-old Jacob Ramirez a week after the July 7 crash in Garden Grove. Jacob and family members were on a bike ride when they were struck by the driver.
His 6-year-old sister and their father were critically injured. The father remains in a coma with a fractured skull.
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Jacob and his 6-year-old sister were riding in a bike trailer being pulled by their dad when they were hit.
Their mother was biking in front with the couple's 7-month-old daughter in a bike trailer.
Ramos now faces a felony count of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence while intoxicated; one felony count of driving under the influence of alcohol causing bodily injury; one felony count of driving with blood alcohol of .08% or more causing bodily injury; and one felony count of hit and run with injury.
He also was charged with two felony enhancements for causing brain injury and paralysis and one felony enhancement of great bodily injury. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years and four months if convicted on all charges.
A crash witness followed the driver and provided police with information until officers located Ramos and took him into custody.
