A man who killed a Newhall resident in a fatal 5 Freeway crash Sunday morning pled not guilty to two felonies in court.

Gary Palma Sanchez, 30, from Simi Valley, appeared in court Wednesday and was charged with one count of felony DUI causing injury and gross vehicular manslaughter, according to Court documents.  

Enhancements were also filed against Palma Sanchez after he refused to do field sobriety tests, resulting in a forced blood draw at the hospital, according to court documents.   

Palma Sanchez pled not guilty to both charges, said Venusse Dunn, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Around 2 a.m. Sunday, May 26, 2024, California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers received reports of a three-vehicle traffic collision on the northbound 5 Freeway near Weldon Canyon in Newhall, said Officer Josh Greengard, spokesperson for the CHP Newhall Area Office. 

CHP officers responded and located the crash with a person suffering from major injuries, according to Greengard.

“It was determined a sedan stopped behind a big rig as all traffic was slowing and stopped. While stopped, a pickup truck crashed into the back of the sedan, causing the sedan to crash into the rear of the big rig,” Greengard said.

Paramedics with the Los Angeles County Fire Department arrived on scene and pronounced Clay Matthew Rodriguez, 34 from Newhall, the passenger of the sedan dead on arrival. 

“The driver of the sedan was transported to Henry Mayo,” Greengard said.

Palma Sanchez is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on June 27.  

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