Greenfield man sentenced to prison for gross vehicular manslaughter while drunk
UPDATE: 8/21/2018 4:37 p.m. A Greenfield man was sentenced to 12 years and 8 months in prison for striking three people with his car while drunk, sending them into the Salinas River where one of them died.
According to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, 23-year-old Nicanor De Jesus Sanchez was driving with a blood alcohol content of .23 when he crashed through a road closure gate at the Elm Avenue bridge, east of Greenfield.
The accident occurred on February 11, 2017.
Sanchez’s Honda Accord spun out of control striking the three pedestrians who were on the bridge.
“The pedestrians were crushed between the defendant’s car and a steel guard rail and violently thrown into the Salinas River,” said DA Dean Flippo.
The Salinas River was flowing fast due to an abnormally wet winter and only two of the victims made it out. The third victim, Julian Lopez was carried downstream and his body was never found.
Sanchez was sentenced to prison for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence of alcohol causing great bodily injury.
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A Greenfield man has pleaded guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury and admitted causing great bodily injury to multiple victims.
On February 11, 2017, 23-year-old Nicanor De Jesus Sanchez was driving with a blood alcohol content of .23 and crashed his car through a road closure gate located at the Elm Avenue bridge east of the City of Greenfield.
Sanchez’s Honda Accord spun out of control after crashing through the steel gate and collided with three pedestrians. The pedestrians were crushed between the defendant’s car and a steel guard rail and violently thrown into the Salinas River.
Due to an abnormally wet winter the Salinas River was flowing very rapidly and had breached its banks flooding farmlands and roadways throughout the county. Despite extensive wounds, two of the victims were able to struggle their way to the riverbank.
The third victim was carried downstream and his body has not been recovered to this day despite multiple attempts by search and rescue teams as well as friends and family.
The defendant entered his plea during the third day of jury trial in this case. A Monterey County Jury had been sworn, opening statements had been given and evidence was being presented when the defendant elected to enter his plea to all of the charges alleged.
Sanchez will be sentenced August 21, 2018 by Judge Julie R. Culver and faces a possible sentence of 16 years in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
