Drunk Driver Sentenced to 15 Years to Life for Fatal Fresno Taco Truck Crash
A Fresno County Superior Court judge has sentenced a drunk driver to 15 years to life in prison for a fatal crash involving a taco truck. On July 20, 2022, 37-year-old Juan Rivera was driving under the influence of alcohol when his vehicle crashed into a taco truck parked on East Cromwell Avenue in Fresno. The impact caused the truck to overturn, injuring three people and killing 33-year-old Marco Rodriguez, a restaurant employee who was working at the truck. Rivera fled the scene but was later apprehended by law enforcement. He was found to have a blood alcohol content of .26%, more than three times the legal limit. In court, prosecutors presented evidence of Rivera’s reckless behavior and the tragic consequences of his actions. The victims’ families spoke about the immense loss they had suffered. During sentencing, Judge Edward Sarkisian denounced Rivera’s actions as “abhorrent” and a “betrayal of the trust placed in him by the public.” He emphasized that the sentence was intended to deter others from driving under the influence and to bring justice to the victims. Rivera’s attorney expressed remorse for his client’s actions but argued that he was not a violent person and deserved leniency. The judge, however, rejected that argument, stating that Rivera’s history of alcohol-related offenses and the severity of the crash warranted the maximum sentence. The fatal crash has had a profound impact on the Fresno community, particularly among the Hispanic population. Taco trucks are a vital part of the city’s culture and economy, and the loss of one has left a void. The sentence sends a clear message that drunk driving will not be tolerated and that those who choose to endanger the lives of others will face severe consequences.Rolando Enrique Alvarenga-Aguilar Sentenced to 15 Years to Life in Prison for Fatal DUI Crash
Rolando Enrique Alvarenga-Aguilar Sentenced to 15 Years to Life in Prison for Fatal DUI Crash
Rolando Enrique Alvarenga-Aguilar, 48, of Fresno, has been sentenced to 15 years to life in state prison for murder, driving under the influence causing injury, and hit-and-run following a fatal accident on October 9, 2021. Fresno County Superior Court Judge Geoffrey D. Wilson handed down the sentence after Alvarenga-Aguilar pleaded no contest to the charges on May 14. The crash resulted in the death of 60-year-old Sabas Ruiz-Galavez and injured one other person.
Details of the Event
On the night of the fatal crash, Alvarenga-Aguilar accelerated his van into a parking lot at the intersection of Maple Avenue and Belmont Avenue in Fresno, hitting a person sitting at a table and pinning Ruiz-Galavez between his van and a taco truck. Alvarenga-Aguilar fled the scene but was later apprehended by Fresno police officers in a nearby neighborhood. Tests showed his blood alcohol content was 0.20%, more than twice the legal limit. Ruiz-Galavez succumbed to his injuries in hospital nine days later. Alvarenga-Aguilar, who has a criminal record that includes theft, domestic violence, and two previous DUI convictions in 2018 and 2019, was on probation for a 2019 DUI at the time of the crash.A Fresno man was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison for a fatal Taco truck crash that killed a 56-year-old woman and severely injured her husband. The driver, 34-year-old Jose Leyva, was drunk and speeding when he crashed his truck into the victims’ vehicle in 2021. The victims, Martha and Manuel Garcia, were driving home from a church event when the crash occurred. Martha Garcia died at the scene, while Manuel Garcia suffered serious injuries. Leyva pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and driving under the influence of alcohol causing great bodily injury. As part of his plea deal, he admitted to having a blood alcohol content of .17 at the time of the crash. In a statement, Martha Garcia’s family said they were “devastated” by her death and called for stricter penalties for drunk drivers. “We hope that this sentence sends a strong message that drunk driving will not be tolerated,” the family said. “We will never forget Martha, and we will always fight to keep our roads safe.”
