The suspected drunk driver who killed a man, seriously injured his girlfriend and killed her four dogs in a July hit-and-run in Carmichael has been charged with murder.
Prosecutors filed the murder charge in Sacramento Superior Court this morning, when Paul William Walden appeared for a hearing on the nine charges he originally faced in connection with the collision.
According to authorities, Walden, 31, was driving drunk and with a suspended license July 19 when he struck the couple as they walked in a crosswalk at Engle and Garfield roads. He did not stop, authorities allege.
Harison Long-Randall, 21, died two weeks later as a result of injuries suffered in the collision. His girlfriend, 23-year-old Gemily West, was seriously injured, and her four dogs died.
The California Highway Patrol arrested Walden, who had three DUI arrests before the collision, several days after the collision. He was charged with two felony counts of hit-and-run with injury, four felony counts of animal cruelty, two misdemeanor counts of driving with a suspended license, and one misdemeanor count of DUI.
According to the amended complaint filed by the District Attorney's office, Walden is now charged with murder, felony vehicular manslaughter, misdemeanor DUI and two misdemeanor counts of driving with a suspended license.
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