Santa Ana demands jail for drunken cop Carlos Coronel

Santa Ana, CA – On a misty Thursday morning, 12 activists and residents of Orange County met outside the OC Superior Court to demand justice for Imanol Gonzalez, a young Santa Ana resident who was struck and killed by off-duty LAPD Sergeant Carlos Coronel on February 1, 2025.

First to speak was David Pulido, member of Community Service Organization, Orange County (CSO OC) who stated, “Carlos Coronel struck Imanol with his truck and fled the scene. On that day Coronel did not call for an ambulance. He did not call Tustin PD or LAPD to report an accident. Instead, he fled the scene and left Imanol to die alone on the street.”

Pulido continued, “The next day, Carlos told his girlfriend to avoid the road where he struck Imanol. He searched the internet for fatal hit-and-run accidents in Tustin, the city where he struck Imanol. These are not the actions of an innocent man!”

In the middle of the speech, a Santa Ana PD cruiser approached protesters and rolled its window down. People began to chant, “Jail killer cops! Jail killer cops!” until the cruiser rolled away.

Jocelyn Pacheco, another member of CSO OC’s Police Accountability Committee stated, “Today we were supposed to be inside this courtroom. Today was supposed to be another step towards justice for Imanol. But instead, today’s hearing was cancelled. Once again, justice is delayed. Once again, this family is told to wait: wait for accountability and wait for answers while the pain drags on.”

Pacheco continued, “Justice delayed is justice denied! We are here to say that Imanol’s life mattered. His family deserves answers, and we will not stay silent while accountability is pushed further and further away. We demand OC Superior Court judge Michael Murray move this case forward to hold this killer cop accountable!”

People chanted, “¡Justicia para Imanol Gonzalez!” and “¡Sin justicia no hay paz!” Attendees included members of CSO OC, members of Guerrero Friends of the Filipino People in Struggle (FFPS), and Christine Lopez Ediss, aunt of Albert Arzola, who was killed by an Anaheim PD officer on December 6, 2025.

Before closing the rally, people gathered signatures for a petition created by Imanol’s dear friend, Ashley Avellaneda, urging that Carlos Coronel face the consequences of his crimes.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #OppressedNationalities #ChicanoLatino #CSOOC