New charges filed in connection with Fresno cyclist's 2022 death

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- The antheral accused of hitting and sidesplitting a Fresno cyclist appeared successful a Fresno County courtroom connected Friday.

Adela Santana was cycling with friends connected Watts Valley Road adjacent Sanger successful October 2022.

With the 51-year-old starring the pack, her friends accidental a speeding car crossed the double-yellow enactment and deed Santana head-on.

"She had a helmet on, she didn't person immoderate earbuds in," person Heather San Julian said. "This antheral drove crossed the double-yellow enactment and deed her caput on. There is uncertainty she was wholly successful the right."

Authorities accidental Johnson Chang was down the instrumentality of the car that deed her.

After astir a twelvemonth of constabulary investigation, prosecutors charged him with a misdemeanor successful September.

But connected Thursday, the District Attorney's bureau filed a caller ailment obtained by Action News.

What was a misdemeanor is present a felony vehicular manslaughter charge. Chang besides faces violations for crossing the halfway enactment and driving excessively fast.

The updated counts travel arsenic the territory attorney's bureau tells Action News they person received caller accusation successful the case.

Chang's lawyer seemed to hint astatine that caller info, telling the justice helium needed much time.

"There are find issues successful the substance for maine to reappraisal successful bid to decently counsel my lawsuit arsenic to whether to importune connected a statutory setting," defence lawyer Roger Bonakdar said.

The justice granted the hold to March 12th, meaning Chang did not person to participate a caller plea connected Friday.

It each comes arsenic the victim's friends retrieve Santana arsenic a loving parent of five, wife, and avid cyclist. She loved the outdoors and taught astatine Fresno State and Clovis Community College.

"Anybody that she came across, she had a immense interaction on," person Tracey Dunn said. "A large nonaccomplishment to the world, to nine that this person's beingness was mislaid successful specified a horrific way."

The felony complaint against Chang carries a maximum of six years successful prison. Chang besides faces a civilian suit filed by Santana's family.

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