Suspect in California road rage incident that led to Pinoy's death sentenced to jail

CALIFORNIA - An 18-year-old was sentenced to a jail term of seven years in California for the death of a Filipino in a road rage incident in 2022.

According to the Alameda County Sheriff's Office on Saturday, Sergio Morales-Jacquez was given the sentence for the homicide charge in the killing of Rienheart Asuncion.

The said incident occurred on Lewelling Boulevard near Hesperian Boulevard in San Lorenzo, California on September 18, 2022.

Investigation showed that the suspect was driving a stolen vehicle and got very near the victim's vehicle. The suspect fired a shot at the victim then fled the scene, the sheriff's office added.

Authorities were able to identify the suspect and found him at the Juvenile Justice Center for unrelated gun charges.

He was also a person of interest in two other homicide incidents, the sheriff's office said.

The suspect was charged for the death of Asuncion. 

According to California law, juvenile offenders will remain at the Juvenile Justice Center until they turn 25 years old.

When the suspect turned 18, the court handed him a sentence of jail for seven years for Asuncion's death.

Asuncion, 30, worked as a factory worker at Tesla.

He was driving then to the grocery store and was on a video call with his wife staying in the Philippines when he was shot, according to a Go Fund Me page put up by one of his friends.

Asuncion has been married for only a few months when the incident occurred. —Dave Llavanes Jr./KG, GMA Integrated News