California Man Sentenced to 16 Years for DUI Manslaughter

Tommy Vincente Valenzuela was driving drunk in February 14, 2008. He failed to stop at a stop sign in Bakersfield and lost control of his vehicle. His vehicle crashed into another one, killing a passenger named Lila Aranda. He tried to run from the scene but was stopped, arrested and charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while driving drunk with prior drunken driving convictions. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison for this incident.

In 2004, Valenzuela was charged with another hit-and-run accident that killed Jorge Pruneda Benavides. Investigators could not find proof that he was intoxicated at the time of that accident. Besides that accident, he had three DUI convictions from 1999, 2001 and 2003. It is likely that Valenzuela has an alcohol problem and will need alcohol education classes along with his prison sentence. Hopefully, after serving time and taking classes, Valenzuela will never drive drunk again.

Whether you live in Newport Beach, Orange or Brea, if you are charged with DUI manslaughter, call an experienced DUI defense attorney right away to assist you.


If you want to know more about driving under the influence, DUI manslaughter, or your own charges, call DUI defense attorney William Weinberg @ 949.474.8008 in his Irvine office.