Modesto man charged with felonies in fatal West Hatch Road crash into parked car

The Modesto man arrested in a Sunday morning crash that killed a 52-year-old man has been charged with vehicular manslaughter, driving under the influence of alcohol, having a blood alcohol level of greater than 0.08% and hit-and-run.

Daniel Valdovinos was scheduled to have been arraigned Tuesday morning on the four felony charges, according to Stanislaus County Superior Court records. He is being held on $250,000 bail at the Public Safety Center.

Valdovinos turned 37 the day of the crash, which killed Jose Reyes, according to court records.

Reyes was the passenger in a Toyota Prius parked on the north side of West Hatch Road near a homeless encampment along the Tuolumne River. The car was struck about 5:30 a.m. by a westbound Chevrolet Traverse.

The crash happened about 200 yards west of Ustick Road. The driver of the Prius was taken to a hospital for evaluation. Valdovinos was not injured. He did not have any passengers.

Reyes and the driver of the Prius had visited the encampment Saturday and were sleeping in their car nearby, according to a woman who lives at the encampment and another woman who is a friend of Reyes’.

Though a Modesto Fire Department incident report identifies the men as transients, one of the women said they were not homeless.

“I’ve known him for about seven years,” said the woman, who would give only her first name, Susanna, about Reyes. “It’s really devastating.”

A wooden cross with Reyes’ name now stands in the dirt by the side of the road near the crash. Around it are a potted plant, candles and a beer can in tribute to him.

The two women said Reyes and the other man spent the night in the Prius because they had run out of gas and the person who was supposed to bring them gas did not show up.

Susanna was at the encampment Monday afternoon. She had arrived there Sunday morning after residents called her immediately following the crash. Susanna translated for the other woman, who said she was among about 15 people who live at the encampment.

Susanna said she once was homeless but now visits the encampment to help its residents. She said Reyes was funny, had a knack for being the center of attention and had been a farm laborer.

The woman who lives at the encampment said she was sleeping at the time of the crash and awoke to what sounded like an explosion when the Traverse slammed into the Prius.

Witnesses are asked to contact Traffic Safety Officer Brad Beavers at BeaversB@modestopd.com.