The 16-year-old driver in a December crash that killed two
passengers was sentenced this week to a minimum of six months at a
juvenile ranch.
The 16-year-old driver in a December crash that killed two passengers was sentenced this week to a minimum of six months at a juvenile ranch.
Paul Galvan and Matthew Lopez, both recent San Benito High School grads, were killed in the Dec. 6 crash. Omar De La Cruz drove a 1993 Ford Taurus through a stop sign at the intersection of Santa Ana Valley and Fairview roads.
Two passengers survived and one told investigators he viewed the speedometer at 110 mph. De La Cruz registered a .05 blood–alcohol and was an unlicensed driver. He was charged as a juvenile and pleaded guilty to two counts of vehicular manslaughter.
Superior Court Judge Harry Tobias at the sentencing Monday cited a desire to penalize the youth, but not to a point that would ruin the remainder of his life, according to De La Cruz’s lawyer Tom Worthington.
De La Cruz and his parents are pleased with the sentencing, according to the lawyer.
“He feels such tremendous remorse for what happened,” Worthington said, “for what he did – guilt, responsibility.
“He feels great relief that he’s past this point now.”
At the sentencing, Lopez and Galvan’s families expressed their pain to the judge and requested a stiffer punishment, according to Worthington.
Relative to possible incarceration in the California Youth Authority – which recent reports show has the harshest conditions among the nation’s youth detention systems – the penalty is light.
Several statewide counties, including Santa Clara, have recently announced bans against sending their convicted minors to the prison-like CYA. State leaders, including the governor, have recently called for action to reform the system.
Still, the San Benito County District Attorney’s Office pushed for a five-year sentence in the CYA – the maximum penalty.
“For a boy who has a future, with parents that love and care, like Omar, you don’t want to put him in that situation,” Worthington said.
The prosecuting attorney, Stephen Wagner, referred all comments on the matter to District Attorney John Sarsfield. Sarsfield did not return calls placed to his cell phone.
In favor of the defendant, Dr. Tiana Nelson made recommendations at the sentencing after conducting a psychological analysis of De La Cruz, according to Worthington. She had been meeting with him weekly since the crash. Worthington also said the county Probation Department “did a thorough job” on the case.
At the boys’ ranch, there’s no definitive timeline for his stay, Worthington said. He must complete an established program before leaving.
The lawyer pointed out that the probation penalty after his release carries weight, too. Though Worthington is confident, he said, “there are not going to be any failures” for De La Cruz.
“If there were, that would change everything,” Worthington said, adding he would then likely face incarceration.
When De La Cruz gets out, he plans to hold talks with other kids about the dangers of drinking and driving, Worthington said.
“He is dedicated to the idea of seeing if he can help other kids that would drink and drive,” Worthington said.
