BRIDGEPORT - A city man who plowed his car into a vehicle loaded with children last weekend, killing a 2-year-old boy and seriously injuring the boy s sister, was arrested Monday on manslaughter and drunken-driving charges.

A dazed-looking Jose Torres, his left arm in a cast, was led Monday into Superior Court.

After reading the police report, Judge Susan Reynolds ordered Torres, 33, held in lieu of $250,000 bond and con-tinued the case to March 29.

The judge also ordered state investigators to determine whether Torres is using his real name and whether he is a U.S. citizen; police said they found different identifications of the defendant.

Torres, who has addresses in Bridgeport, Hartford and North Carolina, is charged with second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle, second-degree assault, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, operating without a license and reckless driving.

According to police, Torres was driving a 1994 Isuzu sport-utility vehicle at high speed on Barnum Avenue shortly before 6:30 Saturday night when he crashed into a 1996 Toyota Tercel that was turning onto Barnum from Helen Street.

The impact sent the Tercel, driven by 41-year-old Gretchen Gelpi, skidding across Barnum Avenue into a fence and a utility pole. In the front passenger seat of the car, 32-year-old Juan Torrealba held his 1-year-old daughter, Kathlyn, on his lap, police said.

In the back seat were his wife, 33-year-old Jenny Torrealba; his son, Kevin, 3; and 9-year-old Kimberly, who was holding her 2-year-old brother, Kenneth Torrealba, on her lap.

They had to be cut out of the car by firefighters.

Kenneth Torrealba was pronounced dead at Bridgeport Hospital from head and face injuries.

Kimberly Torrealba was in critical but stable condition Monday at the hospital. The others were treated at the hospital and released. Police said when they approached Torres, he told them he was all right. They said he had slurred speech and red glassy eyes and smelled strongly of alcoholic beverages. A beer bottle fell out of his car following the crash, police said.

They said a passenger in Torres vehicle, Jose Mejia, told them Torres had been intoxicated.

Daniel Tepfer, who covers state courts and law enforcement issues, can be reached at 330-6308.