Fresno Police Detective Benito Soto was sentenced to probation and community service after he struck and killed 51-year-old Jose Pulido while driving an on-duty police vehicle in Fresno, California.
The crash happened on September 5, 2020, near Fresno Street and E Street. Pulido was in the crosswalk and pushing a bicycle when Soto’s police vehicle hit him. Pulido later died at Community Regional Medical Center.
According to reports, investigators found that Soto had been texting during the moments leading up to the crash and was likely distracted from seeing Pulido in the roadway. Investigators also concluded the intersection was well lit and that pedestrians were visible from a distance. Although authorities said Soto had a green light and Pulido was crossing against a red light, the case still raised the obvious question of why an on-duty police detective was looking at a phone instead of the road.
Soto was charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence, along with infractions that included texting while driving, failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, and unsafe speed for conditions. In June 2024, Soto pleaded no contest to vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence. The remaining charges were reportedly dropped as part of the resolution.
A judge sentenced Soto to one year of probation, 400 hours of community service, and a $550 fine. He received no jail time for killing Pulido.
The outcome angered people who followed the case because the basic facts were so disturbing: an on-duty police detective, behind the wheel of a police vehicle, allegedly distracted by texting, hit and killed a pedestrian who had been visible in a crosswalk long enough that investigators said Soto should have been able to stop.
Pulido, known to some as “Güero,” was remembered by friends and community members after his death. Vigils and public reaction focused not only on the loss of Pulido’s life, but also on the lack of serious punishment for the officer who killed him.
Sources: ABC30, The Fresno Bee, ABC30 court coverage, BakersfieldNow / FOX26
