It's very unusual for courts to reject a plea agreement between prosecutors and defendants. So our Garden Grove drunk driving criminal defense attorneys were interested to see an item about a rejected plea deal in the Inland Empire. According to the Contra Costa Times, a San Bernardino County judge on Jan. 24 declined to accept the deal made with accused driver Ashley Conner Young. Young is accused of gross vehicular manslaughter while driving under the influence in the death of Leyna Marie Basua, 26, of Pomona. The same crash seriously injured Basua's boyfriend, John Martin. Martin was among those protesting the plea agreement that would have given Young, 23, a year in county jail. He said the penalty was not sufficient, and that he was willing to take the chance that Young might be acquitted at trial.
The crash took place in October of 2009, when Young rear-ended Basua's vehicle on Interstate 15. The impact pushed Basua's car across five lanes of traffic, through a chain-link fence and into a tree. She suffered internal injuries and multiple broken bones but survived for nine months after the crash, until she later suffered a fatal internal infection. Martin's left arm was broken and his spine was injured. No blood-alcohol content information was reported for Young. However, she apparently was driving on a suspended license at the time from a previous DUI arrest that ultimately did not reach a conviction. At the scene, Young admitted to drinking but claimed a friend had been driving, which was ultimately proven false.
Prosecutors declined to comment on the reason for the one-year jail sentence, which is a departure from the minimum four-year sentence for DUI manslaughter. However, Basua's mother said she was told prosecutors didn't have enough evidence to prove the claim. Young's attorney said the decision to revoke the plea deal was likely caused by media coverage of protests by Basua's family and friends, rather than any change in the evidence. He said the deal should have been honored.
As Corona intoxicated driving criminal defense lawyers, we generally agree. Prosecutors don't offer lenient sentences because they are fond of criminals; they do it when they don't believe they could get a longer sentence in court. Often, as in this case, that means they're not confident in the evidence against the defendant. In this case, Young pleaded guilty with the understanding that she would serve a year in jail. Revoking the agreement means she is entitled to a trial after all, which means more uncertainty and more work for everyone involved. In fact, there's a possibility that Young may not be convicted, especially if prosecutors are right that the evidence is weak. The feelings of Basua's loved ones are understandable, but they cannot compensate for any genuine weaknesses in the case.
If you're charged with drunk driving in California, don't wait to call Howard Law, P.C. for help. We represent drivers who are facing all types of DUI charges, as well as related charges such as driving with a suspended license. A first drunk driving charge in California carries serious penalties, starting on the day of the arrest with the "automatic" license suspension. In fact, that suspension is not completely automatic -- you can fight it, but you have to contact the DMV within 10 calendar days of the arrest. If our Laguna Beach DUI criminal defense attorneys take your case right away, we can handle the DMV license hearing request and defend you at that hearing, coordinating with the defense of your criminal case. We work hard to minimize the effects of a DUI on our clients' driving privileges, jobs, families and other obligations.
Howard Law, P.C. offers free, confidential case evaluations, so you can talk to us at no risk and no further obligation. To set up a meeting, call us today at 1-800-872-5925 or send us a message online.
