Charges Slated to Be Filed Against City Employee in Hit and Run Fatal on PCH

• Issue of Delay Raised by Residents

BY BILL KOENEKER

A traffic investigator for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the agency will be filing charges against Robert S. Sanchez, an alleged hit and run driver, who is accused of fatally injuring a bicyclist, with the District Attorney’s office sometime within the week.
“The investigators are meeting with the DA on Wednesday,” said Sgt. Philip Brooks of the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station.
Brooks brushed aside any questions about how long it took to file charges against the Malibu city employee, who is out on bail, saying each investigation is different and that detectives were awaiting blood test results, which can take up to thirty days.
“They needed to talk to the crime lab. We have up to a year to file,” he said.
The investigator said Sanchez would be charged with driving under the influence, hit and run and vehicular manslaughter.
Sanchez, who has no previous convictions, according to Brooks, is accused of hitting two bicyclists, who were riding on PCH last month while participating in an annual organized ride.
One cyclist was killed and the other was seriously injured after Sanchez, who was allegedly driving under the influence, struck the pair. He allegedly fled the scene of the accident and was later picked up and taken into custody, according to authorities. He was released on $100,000 bail.
Sanchez, 30, who is employed by the City of Malibu as an administrative assistant, was reportedly driving along the 34000 block of PCH near Nicholas Canyon at 1:27 a.m. on a Sunday night when he allegedly crossed over the fog line and struck Rodrigo “Rod” Armas, 45, of Tehachapi, a Los Angeles County deputy probation officer, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Also hit was Armas’ son Christian, 14, who suffered serious leg injuries. The two cyclists were participating in an annual event sponsored by a Los Angeles bicycling club and were nearing the end of the event when the incident happened.
Authorities allege Sanchez left the scene of the accident and continued along the Coast Highway for a short distance before he reportedly abandoned his vehicle and hid in the brush. Sanchez was found about two hours later by deputies, who arrested him and took him into custody.