A Mexicali judge released a man charged with vehicular homicide in the drunk-driving death of 32-year-old taxi driver Michel Mireles, rejecting the state prosecutor’s request for preventive detention. The judge imposed only weekly check-ins at the courthouse as a precautionary measure, sparking outrage from the victim’s family.
The fatal crash occurred on February 7 on the Airport Highway (Carretera al Aeropuerto) in Mexicali. According to prosecutors, the suspect lost control of his vehicle and slammed into Mireles’ taxi. The impact killed the taxi driver and trapped an elderly passenger inside the wreckage.
Judge Cites Stable Address in Decision
The Fiscalía General del Estado (FGE), Baja California’s state Attorney General’s office, had requested the suspect be held in preventive detention while the case proceeds. The judge denied that request. In his ruling, the judge cited the suspect’s stable home address and current employment as reasons to allow his release.
The decision means the accused will remain free during the trial process. His only obligation is to report to the courthouse once a week. Under Mexico’s criminal justice system, judges have broad discretion in setting precautionary measures for defendants awaiting trial. Preventive detention is typically reserved for cases involving organized crime, sexual violence, or other serious offenses listed in the constitution, though prosecutors can argue for it in other cases.
Family Calls for Protest on April 21
Mireles’ family has called the ruling unjust. They are organizing a public protest at the FGE offices in the Río Nuevo area of Mexicali on April 21. The demonstration will demand stricter bail conditions for the suspect and stronger DUI laws in Baja California.
Drunk-driving deaths remain a persistent problem in Mexicali. The city’s wide, straight boulevards and limited traffic enforcement contribute to high-speed crashes, particularly on highways leading to the airport and the outskirts of the urban area. The Airport Highway is a major thoroughfare connecting central Mexicali to the General Rodolfo Sánchez Taboada International Airport.
The case echoes broader frustration across Baja California over lenient treatment of drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes. Advocacy groups in the state have pushed for years to classify DUI-related vehicular homicide as a serious enough offense to warrant automatic preventive detention.
This story was first reported by Punto Norte.