A Monterey County judge Thursday denied a request to reduce the bail of a Salinas teenager accused of driving drunk in a fatal crash early New Year’s Day.
Judge Timothy Roberts kept Alexander Gordon Winn’s bail at $100,000. Roberts had indicated in a previous hearing that he would consider reducing bail to $60,000 if GPS monitoring is obtained for Winn.
At Thursday’s hearing, the judge told Winn’s lawyer, Jim Dozier, that he did not think the monitoring system was sufficiently secured.
“You’re not telling me it’s lined up … ready to go,” Roberts said. “At this point, the court is going to deny the motion.”
Winn has pleaded not guilty to charges of vehicular manslaughter while driving under the influence and driving under the influence causing bodily injury.
The incident
He was arrested soon after the 2002 Chevrolet Silverado he was driving crashed into an uphill embankment at 2:25 a.m. New Year’s Day. The crash occurred on Corral de Tierra Road just west of Underwood Road near Salinas.
Adam E. Arias, an 18-year-old Salinas High School alumnus who was riding in the truck, died at the scene. Janelle Powers, 18, another passenger, received a bruise on her forehead.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 5, where a judge will decide whether there is enough evidence for the case to go to trial.