Deadly Fresno County DUI suspect has history of DUI's

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- The man arrested for murder and felony DUI after a Thanksgiving Day crash is no stranger to the court system. 34-year-old Cesar Gonzalez Moreno is facing at least his third DUI, but this time, it was deadly.

Court records show Moreno had his license taken away after a DUI last year, but that wasn't his first DUI. And the Thanksgiving crash that killed a man and left his girlfriend in critical condition was not Moreno's first of the day.

Paramedics carried Moreno away from his El Camino minutes after investigators say he rear-ended an SUV. The impact was so hard, the other driver, Petra Silvas, flew right out of her SUV -- even though she was wearing her seat belt. The crash killed her boyfriend, Eugenio Fuentes-Ramirez. Investigators believe Moreno was drunk and speeding for a long time.

"We do have some reports about a mile away that the El Camino went by at a high rate of speed, passed people, passed on the center median," said CHP Sgt. Craig Hinch.

CHP officers were already looking for Moreno's El Camino after an accident on Highway 99 near Ventura. A few minutes later, the same El Camino killed Fuentes-Ramirez at Highway 180 and Brawley.

It's not the first time Moreno's been a police target. Just last year, he was arrested for driving under the influence. He served 62 days in jail and was ordered into an alcohol program. He was also convicted of DUI in 1997, and for driving with a suspended license several times.

Action News talked to Silvas' family Monday. They say she's starting to get better, but she's still in critical condition. Moreno is also at the hospital, under arrest. He'll face murder charges when he gets out.

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fresno, fresno county, auto, crimetracker, california highway patrol, local, corin hoggard

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