SALINAS, California- Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced on Monday, June 12 that 21-year-old Andres Espinoza of Greenfield pled guilty to 1 count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. On June 25, 2022, just after 3:00 a.m. Espinoza was driving a Subaru WRX sedan at speeds exceeding 90mph northbound on Highway 101, just north of Main Street in Salinas. Due to his level of intoxication, Espinoza rear ended victim Norbert Azevedo Jr.’s Dodge Ram 2500, sending the pickup out of control where it overturned off the side of the highway. Azevedo Jr., who had been on his way to work at the time of the collision, was declared dead on the scene. Espinoza fled the scene of the crash and was contacted several hours later by California Highway Patrol Officers at his home in Greenfield. Espinoza admitted to driving his vehicle earlier that morning and colliding with something on the highway in Salinas, but denied knowing he had hit another vehicle. A breath alcohol test revealed that Espinoza had a blood alcohol concentration of .08. Espinoza faces up to 10 years in state prison when he is sentenced on July 26, 2023.
The case was investigated by the California Highway Patrol and prosecuted by the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office specialized DUI Vertical Prosecution Unit. Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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