DES MOINES, Iowa — After two charges of vehicular homicide against 23-year-old Alejandro Contreras were recently dismissed, the case itself is far from over.
Des Moines police said a 2005 Honda sedan driven by Contreras drove broadsided a 2000 Ford sedan Mauricio Ruiz Quintana was driving on Feb. 20 near SW 9th Street and Marion Street.
Quintana and another passenger his vehicle, Brayan Martinez Ruiz, were taken to the hospital with critical injuries.
Both later died from their injuries.
While officers continued to process data from the scene, a Polk County Judge dismissed the charges because they did not believe there was probable cause.
Because the speed of the vehicle was not determined at the time of a court hearing, the charges were dismissed.
The speed limit in the area of the crash was 30 miles an hour.
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"The judge didn't agree that we had probable cause to file the charges so our investigators felt with their observations at the scene, the witness statements, and some video evidence that we had that we met that threshold for the probable cause," said Sgt. Paul Parizek with the Des Moines Police Department.
Nobody answered at the listed address for Contreras.
Officers believe they have enough evidence to show Contreras was in the wrong once it's determined how fast he was driving.
"Charges will definitely be refiled," Sgt. Parizek said.
Parizek believes the charges could be refiled within two weeks
In a statement to Local 5, Polk County Attorney John Sarcone writes that "the Court's decision does not prevent the refiling of the charges if more evidence comes in."