FRESNO, CA – Six months after the deadly accident in Fresno that claimed the life of Ciriaco Santiago Gomez, a beloved immigrant and farmworker in Fresno County, his friend Gerardo Perez has been sentenced to two years in prison.
Both men were riding together in Perez’s Honda Accord when, according to witnesses, the driver lost control at 97 mph and crashed into an orchard. Just moments before, the two had reportedly been arguing inside the car. Perez’s defense even attempted to blame the victim, alleging that Gomez had tried to grab the steering wheel.
But what outraged the family most was what happened next: Perez fled the scene, abandoning his own friend fatally injured, without calling for help or contacting emergency services. Prosecutors noted that this choice also prevented officers from conducting a DUI test.
Days later, Perez turned himself in to the Orange Cove Police Department and pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of the accident. His attorney requested probation, but the judge was firm: “He chose not to assist the victim. He showed zero regard.”
For Gomez’s family, the sentence feels far too light. They remember him as a hardworking man, always cheerful and smiling. His cousin Rosa summed it up with grief: “The saddest part is that he left him alone, even though they were friends. We believe God’s justice will be greater.”
