Pomona Man Arrested In Fatal West Covina Crash

WEST COVINA, CA — Police have released the identity of a man arrested in connection with a fatal car crash Saturday night that killed an 18-year-old Glendora High School alumna.

Gilberto Moralez, 24, of Pomona was arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of alcohol and drugs after the Honda Accord he was driving crashed into a Honda Civic driven by Kerry Welsh, according to Alexus Napoles, a public information officer for the West Covina Police Department. Moralez allegedly sped through a stop sign at the intersection of Vine and Hollenbeck avenues, police said.

Both Welsh and Moralez were transported to a nearby hospital, Napoles said. Welsh died from injuries she sustained in the crash, while Moralez was taken into custody, police said.

Although police initially said Moralez had been released on bond, he has remained in custody in lieu of $100,000 bail, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He was scheduled to appear in court Wednesday and charges are pending.

Welsh, who had recently completed her first year at Loyola Marymount University, was reportedly on her way to pick up her younger sister from a birthday party at the time of the crash.

A GoFundMe campaign was started on behalf of her family to help pay for funeral expenses and, as of Thursday, it has raised more than $45,000.

“Kerry was a brilliant, kind and beautiful 18-year-old whose life was cut short,” Linda Rabitoy, the campaign's organizer, said in a post.

A portion of the money will also be used to set up a memorial fund in Welsh's honor, according to Rabitoy.

GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner.