Hit-and-run leads to manslaughter charge

By PAUL DAQUILANTE

and LAUREN DILLARD

Of the News-Register

DAYTON - A West Salem man has been charged with first-degree manslaughter, felony hit-and-run and reckless driving in connection with the death of his roommate, whose body was found lying on a Yamhill County road early Tuesday morning.

Catalino Hernandez-Pascual, 26, was taken into custody about 2 p.m. and lodged in the Yamhill County Jail, according to District Attorney Brad Berry.

Upon being dispatched to the scene about 7 a.m., sheriff's deputies discovered the body of Jose Fructuoso-Gonzalez, 41, lying on Webfoot Road, south of Dayton, Berry said. He said an autopsy showed Fructuoso died of a skull fracture and intracranial hemorrhage stemming from blunt force trauma to the head.

According to Berry, detectives determined that Hernandez and Fructuoso had been co-workers and roommates. He said they believe Hernandez struck Fructuoso with a vehicle about 6 p.m. Monday, then fled the scene and returned home.

The county's Multi-Agency Major Crime Response Team is handling the investigation.

The men worked together at KCK Farms in Dayton and lived together at a Salem apartment complex - the Brush College Apartments at Wallace and Brush College roads, according to Yamhill County Sheriff's Capt. Ken Summers. .

Fructuoso had a valid Oregon identification card, Summers said. He said Hernandez's residency status wasn't immediately clear.

Hernandez was arraigned Wednesday in Yamhill County Circuit Court on one count each of the charges.

First-degree manslaughter is a Class A felony, hit-and-run a Class C felony and reckless driving a Class A misdemeanor. First-degree manslaughter is a Measure 11 offense carrying a mandatory 10-year prison term on conviction.

Judge Ronald Stone set bail at $500,000 and appointed Salem attorney Ted Coran as defense counsel. He set a preliminary hearing for July 19, but those are typically superseded by grand jury indictments.

Sheriff's deputies discovered Fructuoso's body lying on Webfoot Road, which runs north-south between the Lafayette Highway and Wallace Road.

KCK Farms is located at 11483 Amity-Dayton Highway, to the west. Two laborers headed to work on a farm in the area spotted Fructuoso, determined he was dead and called 911.