Suspect in Merced court commissioner’s death released from jail
An Atwater woman who allegedly was drunk when she crashed on Highway 99, killing a retired Merced County court commissioner, has been released from jail.
Jacqulin Calixtro, 38, was released from custody at 12:18 a.m. Thursday, according to Merced County Jail records.
She posted a $300,000 bail bond and was given a July 6 court date, Undersheriff Jason Goins said.
Calixtro could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Calixtro was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence in connection with the death of Ralph Cook. The 68-year-old retired court comissioner was killed just before 5 a.m. Wednesday when the vehicle Calixtro was driving crashed into a guardrail on the highway just outside of Merced.
The crash is believed to have occurred as Calixtro was driving Cook home from Memorial Hospital in Modesto, where he had been treated for a head injury sustained in a fight outside a Merced bar hours earlier.
About midnight Wednesday, Calixtro and Cook had been seen arguing outside the Kewl Cats bar in Merced, according to the Merced Police Department. Cook then got into a second argument with another person, who has not been identified. The former commissioner was struck in the face at least once and suffered a head injury. Police are continuing to investigate the incident.
The California Highway Patrol is investigating the deadly crash.
Investigators hope to speak with anyone who may have witnessed the crash or who has any information regarding Cook and Calixtro from that evening and early morning, Officer Moises Onsurez said.
It remained unclear Wednesday whether Merced County judges would hear the case, should charges be filed. Cook worked more than 20 years for the judges, many of whom remain on the bench. Many court employees Thursday still were visibly shaken by news of Cook’s death. They declined to be interviewed.
Court CEO Linda Romero Soles said each judge would decide on their own whether to recuse themselves.
“If all the judges recuse themselves on a case individually, then we’d bring in an outside judge,” Romero Soles said.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call the Merced-area CHP office at 209-356-2956. Anyone with any information on the incident at Kewl Cats bar is asked to contact Sgt. Curt Gorman at 209-385-4706, or the Merced Police Department tip line at 209-385-4725. The public can send information via anonymous text messages by dialing “TIP411” (847411) and including the word “ComVIP” in the text message.
This story was originally published June 9, 2016 at 9:52 AM with the headline "Suspect in Merced court commissioner’s death released from jail."