Suspect in deadly Semmes crash denied bond; 911 calls played during hearing

Pat O'Donnell
·2 min read

Editor’s Note: This article was updated to reflect courtroom testimony from Wednesday’s Aniah’s Law hearing for Antonio Rodas

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — A man charged with the murder of 19-year-old Adam Luker in Semmes has been denied bond under Aniah’s Law, News 5 can confirm.

Antonio Rodas, 29, is charged with Luker’s death.

Rodas appeared before District Court Judge George Zoghby for this Aniah’s Law hearing on Wednesday.

Prosecutors played four different 911 calls during Wednesday’s hearing where people called 911 to report Rodas’ “reckless” driving down on Moffett Road.

Antonio Rodas mug shot, placed on a blue background with the WKRG.com logo
A mugshot of Antonio Rodas (Semmes Police Department).

“I am on Schillinger and Moffett Road! A white SUV came in and nailed another car, it’s so bad. In front of the Walmart,” One caller in distress said as she witnessed Rodas strike Luker’s car.

Mobile man arrested in connection with Stockton mass shooting: Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office

The crash occurred April 28 on Moffett and Schillinger Road near Walmart. Luker, who was on his way to church, died on Monday, May 6.

Semmes Police Sergeant Brian Mims testified that Rodas was driving 88 miles an hour in a 45 when he crashed into Luker.

Mims testified that Rodas drove eastbound in the westbound lane when he passed a red light while Luker was driving out of the Walmart parking lot.

Rodas reportedly had a 0.3 blood alcohol content level, which is nearly four times the legal limit.

Elberta High School student reels in record-breaking fish

The prosecution fought to keep Rodas behind bars, citing a 2021 DUI arrest, and called him a flight risk.

The state called one of their Senior Troopers, Laderika Jackson with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency to testify on Rodas’ DUI incident from November 2021.

She testified that he was crashed into a utility pole on Lott Road, and she found him asleep behind the wheel when she went to his car.

She conducted three sobriety tests on Rodas, and he failed all of them, so he was subsequently taken to Mobile Metro.

Chief Investigator with the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office, Don Gomien, testified that Rodas allegedly bought three plane tickets to his home country of Guatemala days after the crash; however, he never went to the airport.

Gomien also said that he lived in Wilmer with a wife and four children, and he said that Rodas told him the day of the crash he was in a hurry to get home that day.

Gomien said he didn’t believe Rodas’ story because he was traveling in the opposite direction from Wilmer.

Gomien also testified that Rodas has been in the U.S. illegally since 2018.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.