The short version
- El Nuevo Día reported that Judge Nadja Banuchi Ramos found probable cause and set $20,000 bail with electronic monitoring for Pagán Cordero
- According to the Department of Justice, the crash occurred in the early hours of Nov. 9 when Pagán Cordero ran a red light on PR-2 in Bayamón
- WAPA and El Nuevo Día both state a breath test showed her blood-alcohol concentration at 0.142 percent, above the 0.08 legal limit
- The mother of the accused, Mildred Cordero, publicly apologized to the victim’s family outside the Bayamón courthouse
Court outcome and charges
Verónica Dylcia Pagán Cordero was released on $20,000 bail with an electronic monitoring device after a judge found probable cause for her arrest in connection with the death of motorcyclist Alexander Negrón Rodríguez, 58. El Nuevo Día reported that Justice Secretary Lourdes Gómez Torres announced the decision by Judge Nadja Banuchi Ramos of the Bayamón Court of First Instance. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Nov. 24.
The Department of Justice said prosecutors Jodaliz Ramos Quiñones and Mitchell Vega Devariel filed four charges against Pagán Cordero: illegal use of a driver’s license, driving under the influence of alcohol, causing death by negligent or imprudent driving, and causing death while driving under the influence. WAPA reported that the charges stem from violations of Puerto Rico’s Vehicle and Traffic Law.
Also on PuertoRico.com: Bayamón travel guide
What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
Pedimos disculpas a la familia que tiene un sufrimiento más grande que el que yo tengo en el corazón
Our translation: We apologize to the family that has a much greater suffering than what I have in my heart.
The source's own statement, as quoted by El Nuevo Día. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
Details of the crash
Both outlets reported that the incident took place in the early morning hours of Nov. 9 on PR-2 in Bayamón. According to the official investigation cited by the Department of Justice, Pagán Cordero drove through a red traffic light without due care and struck the motorcycle ridden by Negrón Rodríguez. The motorcyclist died from injuries sustained in the collision.
A breathalyzer test administered to Pagán Cordero registered a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.142 percent, exceeding the legal limit of 0.08 percent, both sources stated.
Where the sources differ
El Nuevo Día and WAPA agree on the date and location of the crash, the blood-alcohol reading of 0.142 percent, the victim’s name and age, the four charges filed, and that Pagán Cordero was released with an ankle monitor. El Nuevo Día provides the exact bail amount of $20,000, the name of the judge, the date of the preliminary hearing, the names of the two prosecutors, and a longer direct quote from the accused’s mother asking for forgiveness. WAPA refers to the secretary as Lourdes L. Gómez Torres and notes the mother arrived in tears but does not quote her.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not state whether Pagán Cordero has a prior driving record, the exact time of the crash beyond “early morning,” whether the motorcycle had headlights on, or any response or statement from the victim’s family. They also do not indicate the length of the electronic monitoring period or any conditions beyond the device itself.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Official Queda libre con grillete conductora imputada por muerte de motociclista en Bayamón
- Reporting Queda libre con grillete conductora imputada por muerte de motociclista en Bayamón
- Reporting Policía: mujer que arrolló a motorista en Bayamón queda libre con grillete
How we checked this
El Nuevo Día and WAPA both drew from the Department of Justice press release and courtroom proceedings. The victim’s age, the blood-alcohol result, the charges, and the mother’s apology rest on information released by authorities and observed by both outlets. Details such as the precise bail figure and hearing date appear only in El Nuevo Día.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.
Nils Huenerfuerst / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0PuertoRico.com is free, and readers like you keep it that way.
The PuertoRico.com newsroom checks every story against its sources and publishes it free. If this one helped, a contribution of any size keeps the next one free too.
Secure checkout by Stripe: card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or Link.
One payment, nothing to sign up for.
Contributions go to Puerto Rico.com, LLC. They are not charitable donations and are not tax-deductible. Payments are processed by Stripe.
Thank you for keeping PuertoRico.com free.
Your contribution went through. It helps pay for the next story.
Contributions go to Puerto Rico.com, LLC. They are not charitable donations and are not tax-deductible. Payments are processed by Stripe.