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Gustavo Castro

Age : 26

Gender : Male

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 07/09/2022

Location : North Glassell Street near East Taft Avenue

City : Orange

County : Orange

State : California

Agency : Orange Police Department

Officer(s) :Christian Gray; second officer Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

REASON FOR CHASE: Passenger killed during a pursuit after Orange police encountered a Nissan Altima traveling at extremely high speed. Driver Azarie Dupree Fuller came to a screeching stop near the rear of a stopped Orange police vehicle, made a U-turn, turned off the Altima's lights and accelerated away at more than 100 mph. Officer Christian Gray pursued the vehicle.
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NARRATIVE:
On 07/09/2022, 26-year-old Gustavo Castro of Garden Grove was killed while riding as a passenger in a Nissan Altima driven by 19-year-old Azarie Dupree Fuller during an Orange Police Department pursuit in Orange, California.
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At approximately 2:47 a.m., Fuller approached an Orange police vehicle stopped in a turn lane on West Lincoln Avenue just west of Glassell Street. Two officers, including a police trainee, were inside the patrol vehicle. Fuller came to a screeching stop near the rear of the police vehicle, made a U-turn, turned off the Altima's lights and accelerated away.
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Orange Police Officer Christian Gray pursued the Altima. Fuller drove at more than 100 mph, with prosecutors later telling jurors that he averaged approximately 111 mph during the pursuit. The pursuit lasted approximately 30 seconds and covered less than one mile.
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Near North Glassell Street and East Taft Avenue, Fuller lost control of the Altima and crashed into railroad-crossing equipment and multiple poles. The Altima overturned and caught fire. All seven people inside the vehicle were ejected.
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Castro died at the scene along with 14-year-old Dayanara Rebolledo and 17-year-old Dominic McGinley. Fuller and three other passengers survived with injuries.
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Investigators found a suspected nitrous oxide tank and balloons in and around the wreckage. Police initially investigated whether impairment contributed to the crash.
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Fuller was charged with three counts of murder, evading police causing death, child endangerment, driving without a valid license and other offenses. In October 2025, a jury convicted Fuller of leading police on a chase causing death, two counts of child abuse and endangerment, two counts of reckless driving causing injury, driving without a license and speeding more than 100 mph. Jurors deadlocked on the three second-degree murder counts.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Orange Police Officer Christian Gray was identified in later court proceedings as the officer who pursued Fuller's Altima. A second officer, described in the original prosecution records as a police trainee, was inside the patrol vehicle but was not publicly identified in the sources located.
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SOURCE LINKS :

https://orangecountyda.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Press-Release-19-year-old-charged-with-3-counts-of-murder-in-fiery-Orange-crash-that-killed-3-7.14.2022.pdf
https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/19-year-old-driver-of-fatal-orange-crash-charged-with-murder/
https://abc7.com/post/orange-fiery-crash-chase-murder-charges/12052470/
https://orangecountytribune.com/2022/07/15/driver-in-fatal-crash-charged/
https://mynewsla.com/crime/2025/10/08/jurors-deadlock-in-fatal-collision-that-killed-3-in-orange/