Bond increased for driver in fatal Douglas County crash

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 19 Oct, 18:02 · Archive

A judge increased bond to $50,000 for Jose Ortega-Romero, accused of causing a crash that killed Christopher Szalkowski, a 70-year-old man.

A judge increased bond to $50,000 for Jose Ortega-Romero, 32, accused of causing a fatal crash on 4 October at Ida Street and Irvington Road in Douglas County. The collision involved a Porsche 911 and killed Christopher Szalkowski, 70. Ortega-Romero was charged with disobeying a stop light, not having an operator's licence and misdemeanor motor vehicle homicide.

Ortega-Romero had previously posted 10 per cent of a $7,500 bond. At Monday's hearing, the judge granted the state's request to increase bond to $50,000, with GPS monitoring and a possible 24/7 monitoring programme discussed as conditions of release. Ortega-Romero did not appear in court; only his attorneys attended.

Ortega-Romero remains in federal ICE custody and will be returned to ICE upon conclusion of the county case. Officials attributed the original low bond to an administrative error in the bond system in which six of eight crimes were listed too low. The schedule has since been corrected.

How it is being reported

• Judge increases bond for driver accused in fatal Douglas County crashThe bond for the driver accused of causing the crash that killed a 70-year-old man in Douglas County earlier this month has been increased.WOWT · 19 Oct, 16:51
• Judge increases bond for driver accused in fatal Douglas County crashThe bond for the driver accused of causing the crash that killed a 70-year-old man in Douglas County earlier this month has been increased.1011Now · 19 Oct, 16:51

In this story: Jose Ortega-Romero · Christopher Szalkowski · Douglas County · Omaha

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