Pomona chase ends in tragedy: driver charged with murder
A high-speed pursuit in Pomona ended in devastating fashion Wednesday night, leaving a young couple dead and a driver facing murder charges. Marshall Campbell Judson, 31, now stands accused of intentionally striking and killing Jennifer Alejandra Loera-Zarco, 25, and her boyfriend, Marc Anthony Trejo Saldivar, 26, both of whom were expecting their first child.
The sequence of events: a domestic dispute escalates
The incident began with a reported domestic violence call to the Pomona Police Department. Officers arrived at the scene and were interviewing the alleged victim when Judson returned, reportedly driving recklessly and deliberately crashing into a parked patrol vehicle. The ensuing chase, lasting several minutes, culminated in a catastrophic collision with a Ford sedan at the intersection of Garey Avenue and County Road. The impact proved fatal for the occupants of the sedan – Loera-Zarco, who was pregnant, and Trejo Saldivar.
Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office officials have formally charged Judson with two counts of murder, three counts of fleeing a pursuing peace officer causing death, a murder charge related to the unborn fetus, assault on a peace officer, and unlawful possession of a concealed firearm. Bail has been set at $4 million, reflecting the gravity of the charges.
But what truly underscores the tragedy is the profound loss felt by the couple’s loved ones. Family members gathered at the crash site Thursday, a tangible display of grief and remembrance. Tony Trejo, the victim's father, offered a poignant glimpse into the couple's excitement about becoming parents. “Oh man, they were super excited. I was excited watching them be excited, and it wasn’t going to be my baby. I was going to be the grandfather,” he said, a testament to the joy now abruptly extinguished. They were, according to family, expecting their baby “any day now.”
The sheer recklessness displayed by Judson, leading to the deaths of two vibrant young people and the loss of a future child, warrants the most serious scrutiny. The investigation continues, and the legal proceedings promise to further illuminate the events that led to this tragic outcome.