Suspected drunken driver pleads not guilty in death of El Cajon pedestrian

An El Cajon man arrested after allegedly driving his SUV into a pedestrian pushing a shopping cart earlier this month pleaded not guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and two other DUI-related charges Tuesday, authorities said.

Ricardo Reyes, 30, is accused of striking Jim Misao Frazee, 50, shortly before 1 a.m. Aug. 17 on Avocado Avenue near Chase Avenue in El Cajon, according to police and the county Medical Examiner’s Office.

Reyes allegedly ran into Frazee, who is homeless, as well as struck a power pole and a fire hydrant before driving off, officials said.

“Utilizing automated license plate readers, officers identified a white GMC SUV captured immediately after the collision,” police said in a news release.

Officers looked up car registration information and located the SUV, unoccupied, about 2 miles from where the crash had occurred. An airbag in the vehicle had deployed, and the SUV showed damage consistent with a crash, police said.

“Officers contacted an adult male at the associated residence who displayed signs of intoxication and admitted to being the driver,” police said. He was arrested.

Witnesses told police the deceased pedestrian had been pushing a shopping cart. Paramedics responded, but he died before he could be taken to a hospital.

Reyes was allowed to remain free on $250,000 bail and must wear an alcohol-monitoring device. His attorney declined to comment Tuesday on the case.

Staff writer Kristina Davis contributed to this report.