A California man pleaded guilty to a wrong-way crash that killed a sheriff’s recruit and injured more than two dozen other recruits.
Nicholas Gutierrez, 25, pleaded guilty this week to a fatal wrong-way crash that resulted in the death of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s recruit Alejandro Martinez-Inzunza on November 2022 in Whittier.
Gutierrez of Diamond Bar pleaded guilty to one felony count of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and nine felony counts of reckless driving on a highway causing a specified injury. He also admitted to the allegations.
The court imposed a sentence of eight years in state prison, which was suspended. Gutierrez will be placed on probation for the maximum term of five years, under conditions set by the court.
On Nov. 16, 2022, 76 members of a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Academy class were on a training run on Mills Avenue at Bentongrove Drive near Whittier when Gutierrez, who was driving southbound, crossed into the northbound lanes and crashed into the group, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office.
Of the 25 recruits who suffered some type of injury, 10 were seriously injured, including Martinez-Inzunza, who died from his injuries and passed away eight months later.
An investigation into the crash determined there was no evidence that Gutierrez caused this crash by any intentional act. It appears he fell asleep while driving and his car drifted across lanes of traffic into the recruits, according to the L.A. County D.A.
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California
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