Two Men Charged in Deadly 2023 Diamond Bar Freeway Shooting

Los Angeles, CA – Two men have been charged in connection with a fatal car-to-car shooting on the 57 Freeway in Diamond Bar that occurred in August 2023, leaving one person dead and another seriously injured. Richard Pedroza, 28, of Alhambra, and Daniel Rios, 26, of La Habra, were arrested on August 19, 2025, by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Apprehension Team, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

The charges against Pedroza and Rios include one count each of murder with special circumstances, two counts of attempted murder, and multiple counts of possession of a firearm by a felon. The special circumstances for the murder charge include allegations of murder while lying in wait and murder during a drive-by shooting. Both men also face allegations of personally discharging a handgun.

The incident took place around midnight on August 1, 2023, on the southbound 57 Freeway north of Pathfinder Road. Authorities allege that Pedroza and Rios opened fire from their vehicle into another, killing one occupant and seriously wounding another. A third person in the vehicle was reportedly unharmed.

District Attorney Nathan Hochman issued a strong statement regarding the charges. "If you think you can turn our freeways into shooting galleries and terrorize our communities with callous violence, think again," Hochman stated. He emphasized the danger posed to innocent travelers, noting that the "reckless attack cost one man his life and left another injured."

Pedroza and Rios are currently held without bail and are scheduled for arraignment on September 12 in a Pomona courtroom. If convicted on all charges, they face life in prison. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office initially announced the charges via a tweet, stating, "Two men have been charged in connection with a car-to-car shooting on the 57 Freeway in Diamond Bar in 2023 that left one person dead and another seriously injured."