VENTURA, Calif. — A Port Hueneme man has admitted to second-degree murder for intentionally driving his luxury sedan into a group of teenage bicyclists, killing a 16-year-old boy and injuring four other minors, public safety officials announced Wednesday.
The guilty plea was entered in Ventura County Superior Court on Monday, August 24, 2026, by 33-year-old Samuel Matthew Rocha (born January 25, 1993).
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko confirmed that in addition to pleading guilty to second-degree murder, Rocha admitted to a special allegation of using his motor vehicle as a deadly weapon during the fatal rampage.
The April 2021 Vehicular Assault and Laundromat Battery
According to court records and evidence presented by prosecutors, the series of violent events unfolded on the evening of April 19, 2021, in Port Hueneme.
Approximately 11 minutes before striking the bicyclists, Rocha engaged in a violent altercation at a local laundromat, battering a male and female inside the facility. As he backed out of the parking lot in his Lexus sedan, Rocha intentionally struck a laundromat employee with his vehicle—an incident captured on commercial surveillance video.
Shortly after leaving the laundromat, Rocha drove toward the intersection of Pleasant Valley Road and Ventura Road, where he encountered a group of seven young bicyclists pedaling along the roadway.
Rocha weaponized his Lexus sedan and drove directly into the group, striking five of the young riders. The impact fatally injured 16-year-old Pedro Valdez and injured four other minors, two of whom suffered severe, long-term physical trauma.
Following the collision, Rocha sped away from the crash site without rendering aid. An alert citizen witnessed the hit-and-run, pursued Rocha's Lexus to his mother's nearby apartment complex, and alerted law enforcement. Port Hueneme Police Department officers responded to the apartment complex and placed Rocha under arrest.
Court Proceedings, Jury Verdicts, and Final Plea
The case (Case No. 2021010640) was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorneys Richard Simon and Craig Gardner.
In April 2026, a Ventura County jury found Rocha guilty of four felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) and two misdemeanor counts of battery (PC 242), along with special allegations of inflicting great bodily injury (PC 12022.7(a)). However, the jury deadlocked on the primary murder charge.
Four months later, ahead of a scheduled retrial on the outstanding counts, Rocha agreed to plead guilty to second-degree murder (PC 187(a)) and formally admitted to using a deadly weapon (PC 12022(b)(1)).
"Rocha made the deliberate decision to use his vehicle as a weapon, killing 16-year-old Pedro Valdez and injuring four other young bicyclists," Senior Deputy District Attorney Richard Simon stated. "This conviction holds him accountable and brings a measure of justice to Pedro, his family, and the other victims."
**Sentencing Hearing and Maximum Exposure **
Vehicular murder prosecutions under California law require proof of implied malice—demonstrating that a driver intentionally committed an act with conscious disregard for human life. Rocha remains held in custody without bail at the Ventura County Main Jail. He faces a maximum statutory sentence of 27 years to life in state prison. Superior Court Judge Patricia Murphy scheduled Rocha's formal sentencing hearing for October 27, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in Courtroom 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court.
This tragic loss serves as a powerful and somber reminder to every motorist behind the wheel. Every pedestrian walking down the sidewalk, every child riding a bicycle, and every driver sharing the roadway is someone's child, parent, sibling, or friend. Every single person on the road has a family waiting anxiously at home for them to arrive safely at the end of the day.
When drivers make reckless, aggressive, or violent choices behind the wheel, the consequences are permanent and devastating. A motor vehicle is a multi-ton machine that can destroy lives in a fraction of a second. Never let anger, impatience, or reckless disregard take over while driving. Do not be the reason a family loses a loved one or someone fails to return home to those who care about them.
Media inquiries regarding the prosecution can be directed to District Attorney Communications Manager Joey Buttitta at (805) 767-3400 or via email at Joey.Buttitta@venturacounty.gov. Official documents are accessible through the Ventura County District Attorney's Office portal.
Official documents and the official news release along with other verdicts are accessible through the Ventura County District Attorney's Office portal.
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