Chino Hills Man Gets 31 Years For Fatal DUI

Drunk Driver Causes Multiple Accidents And Flees Scene

A man received a sentence of 31 years for the slaying of a man a year ago, reports the Contra Costa Times.

The 37-year old man was drinking in a Santa Ana bar with a friend on January 3^rd, 2010, when he decided to leave the bar and get behind the wheel. Leaving the establishment at about 2:00 am, the driver reached a nearby red light and failed to stop, ramming his BMW into the back of a Scion waiting at the light. The force of the collision caused a passenger in the Scion, an 18-year old girl, to sustain a severe head injury. She would die in the hospital a day later.

The drunken driver failed to stop after hitting the BMW, trying to escape the scene of the crime, according to the press release from the Orange County District Attorney’s office. His flight was prevented when he crashed into a car turning left at the intersection, also damaging another car that was unable to stop in time and drove into the wreckage.

Sentencing Takes Prior Convictions Into Account

The driver decided to flee on foot, making it away from the crash sight without being apprehended. Investigators arriving on the scene were able to discern his identity due to eyewitness information as well as from the remains of his car, finding him just 10 hours later at his mother’s house in Fountain Valley.

As he was taken into custody the next day, police were unable to determine his BAC at the time of the accident. Testimony from his friend and other patrons at the bar allowed the court to prove that he was intoxicated, however. He pled guilty to vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, and due to multiple prior DUIs on his record, received the 31-year sentence.

Seek a DUI Lawyer

If you have been arrested on suspicion of a DUI offense, it is vital that you contact a Santa Ana DUI lawyer who can craft the strongest case in your defense. If you have prior convictions, the penalties that you could face can increase dramatically. Thomas Tears is a dedicated defense attorney with more than 30 years of experience.

To discuss your case free of charge, contact a Santa Ana DUI defense lawyer today!