Greenfield Man Sentenced in Fatal DUI Collision that Took Place in Salinas

 

SALINAS, California- Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced on July 27

that Andres Espinoza, age 21, of Greenfield, was sentenced to 4 years in state prison for

the June 25, 2022, collision that resulted in the death of victim Norbert Azevedo Jr. The victim’s

wife, siblings and two young children gave impact statements to the court explaining how the

victim’s death had devastated their family. The 4-year sentence was the maximum sentence

available to the court due to new legislation that took effect January 1, 2022, that directs the court’s

discretion to impose lesser sentences for youthful offenders.

On June 25, 2022, just after 3:00 a.m., Andres 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. Victim Norbert Azevedo

Jr., who had been on his way to work at the time of the collision, was declared deceased at 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.

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.