BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for a deadly crash last year in which authorities said he drove with a blood-alcohol content more than twice the legal limit.
The prison term was handed down Wednesday against Jose Miranda-Cruz, who was convicted last month of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, DUI causing injury and driving without a license.
The prosecution said Miranda-Cruz had a BAC of 0.20% — the legal limit is 0.08% — and hit 93 mph before slamming on the brakes as he lost control of a vehicle on Morning Drive at College Avenue on Jan. 16, 2022.
The vehicle left the roadway and tumbled down an embankment. Passenger Edixon Guardado Velasco, 20, died at the scene and three female passengers were injured.
Miranda-Cruz’s public defenders argued there were contradictions in the testimony of the surviving passengers and issues with the speed calculations. They said the evidence did not rise to the level of gross negligence.
