A driver suspected in the hit and run death of a UCSD student pleaded not guilty on Thursday, March 8, and remains free after posting $50,000 bond.
Corundolus Toussaint, 38, of Perris, was arraigned in the Feb. 24 death of Andres Perkins, 21, who was killed at 2:45 a.m. on Interstate 5 near an Old Town Avenue exit.
Deputy District Attorney Karra Reedy asked San Diego Superior Court Judge Amalia Meza unsuccessfully to increase his bail to $150,000, citing public safety.
Reedy said the 2004 Honda was found abandoned at a Shell gas station on Pacific Highway with blood on the broken windshield. The car’s license plate fell off on the freeway near Perkins’ body, she said.
The vehicle was registered to Toussaint’s girlfriend, who lives out of town, said Reedy. She noted that Toussaint also lives out of town and has a previous drug conviction from 2014.
“The people are very concerned. He did not turn himself in for several days,” said Reedy.
Toussaint’s attorney, Raymond Aragon, argued against an increase in bail, saying the $50,000 bond was sufficient to show he would appear in court.
“I don’t think there is a reason to increase bail,” said Aragon.
Toussaint told the judge he works in San Diego. He surrendered to police and posted $50,000 bond about a week ago.
Reedy then asked for Toussaint to have a device attached to him that would monitor any alcohol or drug use along with a GPS device. Meza ordered Toussaint to get those devices by the end of Friday as a condition of $50,000 bond.
Reedy said Toussaint faces up to six years in prison if he is convicted. She said she did not know why the student was on the freeway at 2:45 a.m. and she has not yet received any reports from the California Highway Patrol.
A preliminary hearing was set for May 3.