An Irvine man has been accused of causing the death of one girl, and seriously injuring another, in a DUI-fueled car crash that occurred over the Memorial Day weekend, as reported by the Contra Costa Times and several other news sources.
A.J.F., 26, was charged with DUI and murder for the death of fourteen year-old A.S.
A.J.F. was arraigned on one count each of second-degree murder and felony driving under the influence with injury.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, he will also face a sentence-enhancing allegation of inflicting great bodily injury.
The crash occurred at approximately 1:15 Sunday morning, May 29, at the intersection of Culver Drive and Irvine Boulevard. A.J.F. was driving a Toyota pickup when he crashed into the late-model Mercedes-Benz carrying four teenagers.
A.S. was the only passenger that died after the accident. She was declared brain-dead but she was kept on life support long enough for her family to arrange for organ donations.
According to the prosecution, at the time of her death A.S.’s brain was swollen, her skull fractured, she had a collapsed lung and fractures to her face, ribs and spine.
The driver of the Mercedes, M.G., 48, was treated at a hospital and released. Two other passengers, two girls aged 14 and 15, were also treated and released.
The final passenger, K.M., 15, is still in the hospital recovering from a broken nose, rib fracture, lacerated spleen – among other injuries – but none are considered life-threatening.
M.G., the Mercedes driver and father to one of the teens on board, was coming home from a birthday celebration when A.J.F. made a left turn, against a red turn arrow, and crashed into the Mercedes.
Alison Gyves, the Deputy District Attorney, said that though A.J.F. took a cab to and from a bar that night, but when he returned to where he had left his pickup at a friend’s house, he chose to drive it home.
Prosecutors allege that A.J.F. was seen stumbling after the crash and his blood-alcohol was measured at .20 percent.
His blood-alcohol proved to be two and a half times the legal limit.
A.J.F.’s bail was set at $1 million.
Prosecutors state that A.J.F. had pleaded guilty to misdemeanor DUI once before – on June 18, 2009 – and was warned by the judge at that time that a second DUI conviction, if coupled with murder, would warrant a second-degree murder charge.
A.J.F. was ordered to take classes on the dangers of drinking and driving following the 2009 incident.
Court records show that A.J.F. has received multiple citations – besides the 2009 conviction.
A.S. had attended Northwood High School. She was a freshman cheerleader at the time of her death.
Fellow students of A.S.’s wore white to school on May 31
st, the first day back on campus after the holiday weekend, and counselors were on hand to help them cope.
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