Driver sentenced in 2007 Yucaipa crash after senior picnic
A driver involved in a deadly crash, which killed two of his classmates after a picnic last year for San Gorgonio High seniors, was sentenced Tuesday to a year in county jail and three years of probation under the terms of a plea bargain.
Judge Gilbert Ochoa sentenced defendant Gonsalo Favela during proceedings in San Bernardino Superior Court.
Favela, 19, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of vehicular manslaughter without negligence, as part of a plea bargain, at a July 30 hearing, according to court records.
Adrian Barajas
David Rivera
Three people personally read victim impact statements at the sentencing hearing, while a victim advocate read statements from five other individuals.
Favela also addressed the court, records indicate. Ochoa ordered the jail time be served as a straight sentence.
The defendant is scheduled to return to court Oct. 21 for a restitution hearing.
Favela was driving one of two vehicles loaded with San Gorgonio High seniors that crashed on June 13, 2007 shortly after leaving a picnic at Yucaipa Regional Park. Seniors Adrian Barajas and David Rivera, both 18 and of Highland, were passengers in Favela's 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe and died from injuries they suffered in the crash.
San Bernardino City Unified officials earlier said that the traditional picnic for San Gorgonio seniors was not sanctioned by the school district. Attendance at the picnic was voluntary, and it was held after school hours.
Barajas and Rivera were two of seven young men traveling with Favela as they left the picnic. The Tahoe spun out and overturned after being clipped by a 1995 Honda Civic on Oak Glen Road, according to sheriff's investigators.
The Tahoe landed in the northbound lanes, and some of the passengers were ejected, investigators said. Witnesses told sheriff's deputies the two cars were weaving in and out of lanes as they sped down Oak Glen Road toward the 10 Freeway.
Barajas died at the scene and was remembered the next day at the graduation ceremony. Rivera died June 18 at Loma Linda University Medical Center.
Gonsalo Favela is responsible for my nephew David Rivera death. I was in the courtroom the day he was sentenced to a year in jail. Gonsalo Favela showed no remorse or empathy towards my family. He was smug with no apologies to my family.
1 year in jail is not enough punishment for causing the deaths of 2 young men.
Gonsalo Favela has causes irreversible damage to my family. He gets a 1 year sentence and my family get a painful life sentence. My family has been forever changed by Gonsalos reckless behaviour. I ask the courts 2 question had it been your nephew death, you think 1 year was appropriate sentence? Also why wasn't Gonsalos parents charged? Gonsalo had no drivers license and they knowingly loan him their vehicle that lead to the deaths of 2 young men.
i miss you Adrian...