CHP officer, drunk driver, killed young couple after cop speeds at 130mph: prosecutors

A California Highway Patrol officer has been charged with murder after ramming into the back of a car at 130mph and fleeing the scene — moments before a drunk driver hit them and killed all four passengers.

Angelo Rodriguez was part of “a horrible tragedy that shouldn’t have happened” and resulted in the death of four people in their twenties, including a young couple getting ready to marry, prosecutors allege.

Rodriguez was driving his patrol car with his lights and siren off before hitting the Nissan at around 1 a.m. on June 20, Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said at the Hall of Justice on Monday.

The cop then pulled to the side of the road and sat with his lights off according to the DA.

“The Nissan is disabled with its emergency lights on in the HOV lane, and he’s sitting there for three minutes,” Hochman said.

“At one point he actually gets out of the car and inspects the damage to his own car,” he continued.

The officer eventually exited the freeway to call in an accident without mentioning that he had been involved, the DA said.

Before he could get back to the Nissan, Iris Salmero, an alleged drunk driver speeding at 110mph, smashed into the car causing it to burst into flames, Hochman said.

The victims Julianna Hamori, 23, of Huntington Beach, Armand DelCampo, 24, of San Perdro, Jordan Partridge, 23, of Los Angeles, and Samantha Skocilic, 22, of Westminster burned to death.

Horrific footage from a passing car captured the car engulfed in flames. Hamori and Delcampo were getting ready to marry. Hamori had even picked out her wedding dress, according to her aunt.

Salmeron and Rodriguez both face four counts of murder, and Salermon faces two additional DUI counts.

When Hochman was asked by the Post if Rodriguez was tested for for drugs and alcohol he said there was “no information that Rodriguez was impaired.”

“These cases are some of the hardest cases I have to talk about,” the tough on crime DA said. Both Salmeron and Rodriguez face life in prison and are being held on $8 million bail.

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