Roland Escobar Charged With Manslaughter, Driving High On Drugs And Alcohol In Deadly Taunton Hit-And-Run

TAUNTON (CBS) – A driver accused in a deadly hit and run in Taunton was ordered held without bail Wednesday. Roland Escobar, 42, of Taunton, faces several charges including manslaughter, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol and leaving the scene of Tuesday's crash.

Police say he was driving an SUV drunk and high on drugs when he hit a woman near the intersection of Main and Cedar streets around 4:30 p.m. and took off.

Prosecutor Michael Cahillane said on Wednesday in court that Escobar was under the influence of "two shots of fireballs, as well as oxycodone, and may have also contained fentanyl".

The woman, 59-year-old Lisa Rocha of Taunton, was just getting out of her car when she was struck. She was rushed to Morton Hospital where she died. Her family said Rocha was out shopping at the time she was killed.

"This is very sad for us to lose Lisa like this. It really is. She was a very good person. Loved her kids to the moon and back. And I'm just devastated," said sister-in-law Sandy Rocha.

Investigators said Escobar didn't get far. He hit a car and flipped his SUV on Summer Street. He was taken to the hospital where he was treated for minor injuries and then taken into custody. He was held overnight.

Escobar pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Taunton District Court late Wednesday morning and was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing.

Rocha's family said she was a nurse who worked in a rehab facility. Outside of court Wednesday, her son Kenneth Rocha said the family lost their father just two years ago.

"Me and my mother were always really close," said Ken. "My father passed away two years ago. Her mother passed away two years ago. We've just had a lot of death."