A parole violator has been charged with second degree manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, criminal possession of a weapon and driving while intoxicated following Friday morning’s fatal crash in downtown Rochester.
Police say 27-year-old Kendre Preston was behind the wheel of a stolen, speeding jeep that was eing chased by police when it slammed into an uninvolved car at the corner of St. Paul and Main Streets. The impact killed 46-year-old Benji Martinez of Rochester, the driver of the second car. It put Preston in the hospital with serious injuries.
Police say they recovered a loaded MAC-11 automatic pistol with a high capacity magazine from Preston’s Jeep. The weapon had been painted in several bright colors to make it look like a toy gun. Also found in Preston’s car was a quantity of Fentanyl and Suboxone, packaged for street sale. Preston himself was currently on parole after serving prison time for criminal possession of a weapon. A Monroe County grand jury may consider additional charges.
Police said the 2:00 a.m. crash happened after they were alerted to shots being fired along Dewey Avenue and Avenue A in the north part of the city. When police identified and tried to stop Preston’s Jeep, he sped away and led them on a chase through the city at high speeds, during which he ran a number of red lights. When he ran the red light at Main and St. Paul streets, a building blocked the driver’s view of each other and Preston smashed into Martinez’ car, shoving it down Main Street to the pedestrian overpass.
Preston is accused of being drunk at the time. He will be arraigned when his injuries permit.
A parole violator has been charged with second degree manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, criminal possession of a weapon and driving while intoxicated following Friday morning’s fatal crash in downtown Rochester.
Police say 27-year-old Kendre Preston was behind the wheel of a stolen, speeding jeep that was eing chased by police when it slammed into an uninvolved car at the corner of St. Paul and Main Streets. The impact killed 46-year-old Benji Martinez of Rochester, the driver of the second car. It put Preston in the hospital with serious injuries.
Police say they recovered a loaded MAC-11 automatic pistol with a high capacity magazine from Preston’s Jeep. The weapon had been painted in several bright colors to make it look like a toy gun. Also found in Preston’s car was a quantity of Fentanyl and Suboxone, packaged for street sale. Preston himself was currently on parole after serving prison time for criminal possession of a weapon. A Monroe County grand jury may consider additional charges.
Police said the 2:00 a.m. crash happened after they were alerted to shots being fired along Dewey Avenue and Avenue A in the north part of the city. When police identified and tried to stop Preston’s Jeep, he sped away and led them on a chase through the city at high speeds, during which he ran a number of red lights. When he ran the red light at Main and St. Paul streets, a building blocked the driver’s view of each other and Preston smashed into Martinez’ car, shoving it down Main Street to the pedestrian overpass.
Preston is accused of being drunk at the time. He will be arraigned when his injuries permit.