A man was found guilty of second-degree murder and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated this past October 12 - for an incident that occurred in August of 2009, that took a mother's life, as reported by the San Bernardino County Star.
Highland resident, R.C.W., while driving a Ford F-150 in the wrong direction on Orange Street, when he drove head-on into a Nissan Sentra driven by Redlands resident, S.C., 48.
S.C. died at the scene. R.C.W. was arrested on suspicion of DUI.
R.C.W. has had three prior DUI convictions.
Carl Baker, the spokesman for the city of Redlands and for the police department said, "We're certainly gratified to see justice done, but it doesn't undo the tragedy for that family."
Prosecutors argued that R.C.W., along with a friend, had been drinking while playing pool at a restaurant and bar in Highland. They also allegedly bought liquor and put it into a sports drink bottle.
The accident occurred at approximately 2:30 a.m., south of the Santa Ana River wash. The truck drifted off of the roadway and struck an irrigation pipe causing the vehicle to swerve back into traffic in the wrong direction.
Baker was present at the accident scene. He recalled that the woman's family, after being alerted by the sounds of the sirens, had also arrived on scene. Police then informed them of S.C.'s death.
During the trial, R.C.W. said that he chose to drive, as the friend he was with was too drunk to take the wheel that night.
Deputy Public Defender Sam Knudsen, representing R.C.W., remembered his client saying, "I didn't feel like I was under the influence, but I knew I shouldn't let that guy drive, and that's why I drove."
That "guy" had a blood alcohol level of 2.8 percent; R.C.W.'s was found to be 1.5.
Defense argued that the tire had blown out on the truck, contributing to the accident, as well as a 3-foot tall standpipe that was on the road's shoulder that the truck hit. The truck pulled to the right, per the defense, for no reason.
Karl Blauguss, a highway construction expert, testified that once the truck hit the pipe there was nothing to prevent the vehicle from shooting across the road and into oncoming traffic - and he was 95 percent certain of this.
Blauguss also said that Caltrans standards were not met in having the standpipe on the road's shoulder.
During an officer's inspection of the vehicles after the crash, a sidewall tire blowout was found on the truck. Knudsen contended that the blowout, per a defense expert, occurred before the fatal crash.
Knudsen said of his client, "He might not have done the right thing, but in his words he couldn't let that other guy drive."
If you have found yourself charged with DUI, DWI, OUI or OWI, contact a DUI attorney to best defend you at trial. Whether this is your first drunk driving offense, or your most recent, you require a solid defense.