People v. Rocha CA4/2

BACKGROUND

Rocha’s convictions arise from two incidents in March 2023. The first incident

occurred on March 11 in Twin Peaks, California, where there was roughly eight feet of

snow on the ground. At around noon, Madelynn Horan and her mother were out in the

snow trying to jump-start Horan’s car using her mother’s Subaru. Rocha was driving a

truck and hit the back of the Subaru. He said something to Horan’s mother and drove

away. Roughly 30 minutes later, a San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy, Jesse Snow,

drove by Horan and her mother while the deputy was patrolling. Snow spoke to the two

women and checked the area for Rocha’s truck, which Snow found approximately one-

quarter to one-half mile away. Rocha and another man were standing near the front of

the truck. A tow strap or chain connected the front of the truck to a small tractor that was

stuck in the mud. As Snow talked to Rocha’s companion, Rocha used the truck to try to

pull the tractor out of the mud. He drove the truck in reverse and then forward several

times. Snow eventually spoke to Rocha, who gave Snow reason to believe that a DUI

investigation was warranted. Another officer used a preliminary alcohol…