Driver accused of running over man on San Jose roadway faces murder charge
A driver has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a man was hit and killed on a San Jose roadway early Wednesday morning, in a collision that police said was intentional.
, officers were called to the 1700 block of Southwest Expressway near Leigh Avenue around 6:10 a.m. following a report of a person down. When police arrived, they found an adult male victim who was unconscious and not breathing.
Medical personnel who responded to the scene pronounced the man deceased. The victim's identity has not been released pending confirmation and notification of next of kin.
Police said the nature of the victim's injuries were not readily apparent during the preliminary investigation. An examination by the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner at the scene revealed there were signs of trauma that were "consistent with being hit by a vehicle."
Officers found evidence confirming the man was struck by a vehicle and that the incident appeared to be an intentional act.
A homicide investigation was launched and detectives examined footage from the department's Real Time Intelligence Center and its network of public safety cameras, which were recently expanded.
With the help of the camera network and automated license plate readers, homicide detectives identified the vehicle and a person of interest.
On Wednesday evening, police located the vehicle and arrested the suspect, identified as 45-year-old Jaime Cruz Castanon. Police booked Cruz Castanon into the Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of murder.
According to jail records, Cruz Castanon is being held without bail, with a court appearance scheduled for Friday afternoon.
The incident is the city's 10th homicide of 2025.
Anyone with additional information about the incident is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Van Den Broeck or Detective Estantino of the department's homicide unit over email or by calling 408-277-5283.
