Her death shook Richland, and changed rules. The man responsible pleads guilty
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- Driver Celcilo Romero pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide for the 2023 crash.
- Crash on I‑182 ramp killed 17‑year‑old Maria Moreno‑Reyes and prompted reforms.
- Romero faces a recommended 7½‑year sentence with tentative April 16 sentencing.
A teen’s reckless driving killed his cousin, a 17-year-old Richland student who had just started on a promising path toward the future.
Three years after the fatal wreck on the Interstate 182 on-ramp, Celcilo Romero pleaded guilty on Thursday in Benton County Superior Court to vehicular homicide.
Romero, now 20, was weaving through traffic on Nov. 21, 2023, when he lost control of his Infiniti G35. The car flipped, killing Maria Moreno-Reyes, who was in the passenger’s seat.
Romero faces 6 1/2 to 8 1/2 years in prison, according to court documents. The prosecutor and defense attorney agreed to recommend the judge order him to serve 7 1/2 years.
A tentative sentencing date is set for April 16.
Moreno-Reyes’ death just days before Thanksgiving shook the Richland community. The student who struggled to get her education on track was heading toward graduation.
A change to Richland school policy, partially prompted by her death, led to her being awarded a posthumous diploma.
Her family described her as a “bright star,” who “always chose good.” She was excited to see what life had in store for her, her family told the Herald at the time.
While the high schooler normally drove herself to school, one of the family cars was in the shop. Moreno-Reyes’ mother asked Romero to pick her up from class.
She never made it home.
Fatal crash
Witnesses told police Romero was weaving between the lanes and speeding along the Highway 240 bypass and onto Interstate 182 about 3 p.m. that day.
Witnesses heard the car speed up as he tried to pull into a lane to pass another car on a curve in the highway.
He lost control as he tried to make the turn and the Infiniti spun out, went off the road and flipped. Moreno-Reyes died at the scene.
He was injured and another passenger in the backseat survived.
This story was originally published March 13, 2026 at 6:10 AM with the headline "Her death shook Richland, and changed rules. The man responsible pleads guilty."