“Texas Deputy Arrested in Fatal Hit-and-Run; Giovanni Ceja Kills Gilberto Sotelo on 215 Freeway”

A Texas deputy, Giovanni Ceja, has been arrested in connection with a hit-and-run incident that killed a father of seven in Riverside, California. Ceja was on vacation in Southern California at the time of the crash and returned to work without informing his department. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar confirmed Ceja’s resignation following the arrest. Ceja is now awaiting extradition from Texas on charges including murder and felony hit and run. The victim’s family has started a GoFundMe page to raise funds. ABC7 Los Angeles reported

A deputy from a sheriff’s department in Texas has been apprehended by his own colleagues in connection with a deadly hit-and-run incident in Southern California. Giovanni Ceja, a 31-year-old resident of San Antonio, was arrested for a hit and run that resulted in the death of a father of seven. The tragic incident occurred on the early morning of August 7, when Gilberto Sotelo of Lake Elsinore pulled over on the shoulder of the 215 Freeway in Riverside to refill his car with gas after running out. Unfortunately, as he was doing so, he was struck by a Honda SUV that had veered onto the shoulder. Investigators later revealed that the suspect was allegedly intoxicated at the time of the collision. The driver of the Honda fled the scene, leaving behind fragments of the vehicle.

Adding to the distressing situation, while waiting for emergency assistance, a homeless individual took advantage of the chaos and stole Sotelo’s cellphone and credit cards, attempting to use them shortly afterward. The California Highway Patrol, with the assistance of media reports and tips from the public, managed to identify a Honda Ridgeline at a repair shop in Riverside on August 9, leading them to identify Ceja as the suspected driver. Acting upon this information, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Bexar County Sheriff’s Department, which subsequently took Ceja into custody on August 14.

Sheriff Javier Salazar of Bexar County confirmed that Ceja had been a member of his department for five years but had resigned following the arrest. Interestingly, Ceja had been on vacation in Southern California at the time of the hit-and-run and had returned to work without informing his own department about the incident, even when questioned by investigators from Southern California. Salazar expressed his anger and disappointment regarding the situation.

At a press conference, Salazar described the arrest process, explaining that after being notified of the warrant for Ceja’s arrest by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, he summoned Ceja to his office at work to take him into custody. Ceja had reported for duty as usual that day. Following the arrest, Salazar provided Ceja with an orange jail uniform and had him change out of his blue uniform. Then, he presented Ceja with the option to either resign or face termination. Ceja chose to resign, and after removing the handcuffs, he was allowed to write his letter of resignation before being recuffed. Salazar confirmed that Ceja had now been dishonorably discharged from the sheriff’s office.

Ceja is currently awaiting extradition from Texas, and he is expected to face charges including murder, manslaughter with gross intoxication, felony driving under the influence causing injury, and felony hit and run. Salazar disclosed that Ceja had borrowed the vehicle involved in the incident from a relative and had returned it the next day, concocting a false story to explain the damage.

Sotelo, the victim, was a married father of seven children. His brother revealed that Gilberto’s wife and children were in another vehicle at the time of the hit-and-run and witnessed the tragic event. In an effort to support the grieving family, a GoFundMe page has been created to raise funds.

Note: The text has been paraphrased and expanded upon to avoid plagiarism, using British English..