Driver faces DUI homicide charge in DeKalb crash
BLUE BELL >> A West Norriton man was driving with a blood-alcohol content that was more than twice the legal limit and he was not properly licensed at the time of a two-vehicle crash in Lower Gwynedd that claimed the life of a passenger in his vehicle, investigators alleged.
Gabino Lucas-Lagunes, 30, of the 1000 block of Northridge Drive, was arraigned on Tuesday, before District Court Judge Suzan Leonard, on charges of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence of alcohol, homicide by vehicle, accidents involving death or injury while not licensed, DUI, recklessly endangering another person, driving without a license, driving under suspension and careless and reckless driving in connection with a May 6 two-vehicle crash that claimed the life of 37-year-old Jose Martinez-Diaz of Philadelphia, who was a passenger in LucasLagunes’ vehicle.
Leonard set bail at $75,000 cash. Lucas-Lagunes failed to make bail and he was remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility to await his May 27 preliminary hearing on the charges before Leonard.
The crash occurred along DeKalb Pike, or Route 202, in Lower Gwynedd.
Lucas-Lagunes’ arrest was announced on Wednesday by Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Lower Gwynedd Township Police Chief Paul Kenny.
The investigation began about 3:28 a.m. May 6 when Lower Gwynedd police responded to the 500 block of DeKalb Pike for a report of a twovehicle crash involving a 2006 Subaru Legacy, allegedly operated by Lucas-Lagunes, and a 2014 Mack fuel truck that was stationary at the time
of the crash, according to court papers. The crash occurred in an area of the roadway posted as a construction zone.
Lucas-Lagunes was trapped in the driver’s seat of the Subaru and was transported by medical helicopter to Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia for treatment, police said.
Martinez-Diaz, the front seat passenger in the Subaru, “had no signs of life when police and medical personnel arrived at the scene” and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the criminal complaint filed Lower Gwynedd Police Officer Timothy F. Evard.
An autopsy determined Martinez-Diaz died of multiple impact injuries as a result of the crash.
A rear seat passenger in the Subaru, identified as Valero Reyes-Morales, 21, was transported to a local hospital for treatment of injuries.
Arriving officers noticed alcoholic beverage bottles inside the Subaru and emergency responders attending to Lucas-Lagunes detected a strong
odor of alcohol emanating from his person, according to the arrest affidavit. Police subsequently recovered several empty beer bottles from the vehicle, court papers alleged.
Due to the fatality, county detectives who are experts in crash reconstruction responded to the scene to assist with the investigation.
The investigation determined the fuel truck was stopped and parked in the southbound lane of DeKalb Pike, or Route 202, while the operator was in the process of making a fuel delivery, according to the arrest affidavit. The fuel truck had its fourway flashers and a revolving yellow warning light in operation on the rear of the vehicle, investigators said.
Lucas-Lagunes’ vehicle was proceeding southbound on DeKalb Pike approaching the fuel truck and just prior to impact Lucas-Lagunes applied steering input to the left in an attempt to avoid the crash, according to the criminal complaint. The passenger side front and side of the Lucas-Lagunes vehicle struck the driver’s side rear section of the fuel truck.
The force of the impact caused the writing on the
rear wheel shield guard of the truck to be embossed onto the passenger side front fender of the LucasLagunes vehicle, authorities alleged.
“The amount force of the impact from the Lagunes vehicle to the truck was of such a degree that it broke a fan support bracket in the engine compartment of the truck,” Evard alleged in the arrest affidavit.
Investigators determined the flashing lights on the rear of the truck could have been observed from a distance of about 722 feet by an approaching vehicle.
“Investigators observed no signs of pre-impact braking from the LucasLagunes vehicle,” Evard alleged, adding authorities determined there were no mechanical problems with the vehicle that may have contributed to the crash.
The driver of the fuel truck told investigators he stopped the vehicle within the construction zone, put the four-way flashers on as well as the overhead revolving yellow light, exited the truck and began to fuel a piece of equipment on the opposite side of a concrete barrier when “he heard an engine revving and as he turned to look at his truck
he observed a car fly into the back of his truck,” according to court documents.
Toxicology tests determined that Lucas-Lagunes had a blood-alcohol content of between 0.217% and 0.243% at the time of the crash, which is more than twice the legal driving limit of 0.08%, according the criminal complaint.
Investigators also determined Lucas-Lagunes did not have a valid driver’s license at the time of the crash as it was under suspension until October 2022 for eight violations.
“After completing the crash investigation, the crash investigators determined that the causation of this crash was directly related to the combination of the level of impairment of Gabino Lucas Lagunes as well as the speed and manner of operation of his vehicle,” Evard alleged in the arrest affidavit.
According to court papers, at the time of the crash, Lucas-Lagunes and his two passengers had just left a Montgomery Township bar and grill where they worked.
Assistant District Attorney Gabrielle Christine Hughes is prosecuting the case.