The 22-year-old man who caused an alleged drunk driving accident that killed a mother and her 9-month-old son over the weekend appeared in court Wednesday on three felony charges.
Xieng Her was charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated without malice, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol resulting in injury, and driving under the influence causing death or injury, according to ABC 10 News.
California Highway Patrol officer Michael Bradley said 23-year-old Nancy Naranjo and her 9-month-old son Joshua Bonton were in a Honda Accord, stopped at a red light at the intersection of Stockton Boulevard and Orange Avenue just before 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, when Her slammed into them from behind in a Toyota 4-Runner.
According to a Fox 40 News report, Her was traveling at such a high rate of speed that the force of impact pushed both cars through the intersection and across two lanes of traffic as the spun around 180 degrees. Bradley said both Naranjo and her son probably died instantly.
The suspect, Her, pleaded not guilty on all counts. Naranjo’s family was infuriated.
“Not guilty? Be a man and confess what you did,” said Naranjo’s aunt, Ana Castillo. “I don’t understand how you can say not guilty? Two lives, they were just beginning.”
Her’s bail was set at $250,000. His next court hearing is September 9 in Sacramento County Superior Court.
On average someone is killed by a drunk driver every 45 minutes. In 2008, an estimated 11,773 people died in drunk driving related crashes — almost three times as many casualties as the entire war in Iraq to date. About three out of every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some time in their lives.
Please, don’t drink and drive.
The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have been representing injury victims since 1976, and have special expertise in cases involving drunk driving fatalities. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.
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