A Freedom woman pleaded no contest Thursday to multiple charges for a September 2010 drunken driving accident that killed an Aromas father as he rode his motorcycle with his son.
With the assistance of an interpreter, Maria Villegas de Munoz pleaded no contest to the felony charge of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated for the death of James Parker, 49. She also pleaded no contest to the felony charges of driving under the influence causing injury to Parker’s then-15-year-old son, and driving under the influence with a blood alcohol content in excess of 0.08 percent.
Additionally, Villegas de Munoz, who was accompanied in court by several family members, admitted to the special allegation of having caused bodily harm to more than one person.
Defense attorney Mandy Tovar said her client has no prior criminal record.
According to prosecutor Jason Gill, Villegas de Munoz was driving near Thompson Road on Sept. 27, 2010 when she drifted across the dividing lines on a sharp curve and struck Parker’s motorcycle. Her blood alcohol level was 0.15 percent at the time, Gill said previously.
Villegas de Munoz, who had been out of custody, was taken to County Jail on Thursday to await her sentencing hearing next month.
Parker’s widow, Peggy Parker, expressed frustration that the case has taken so long to be resolved.
“I’m continually waiting,” she said.
Gill asked the judge to postpone the sentencing hearing until Sept. 14 to allow
James Parker’s mother and brothers, who live in Texas, to be able to attend the proceedings and deliver victim’s impact statements.
