Unlicensed drunk driver to pay over seventy-thousand in restitution to injured couple
SANTA CLARA COUNTY – Throughout the month of December the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s office and local law enforcement agencies have been offering those with misdemeanor offenses a second chance to file for a new court date, without having to be booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail in lieu of failure to appear for the violation.
According to Sergeant Curtis Stenderup of the Sheriff’s Office, “Individuals can go to any Santa Clara County law enforcement agency to receive their warrant citation, which will require a new ‘Promise to Appear’ in court date.” Operation Second Chance 2014 is directed towards most misdemeanor warrants, no matter that the bail is, including those warrants stamped “No Cite and Release,” and “No Bail.”
The Sheriff’s department and other police agencies will offer the same courtesy to take care of your warrant this year, however starting in January the warrants will be posted again for local law enforcement agencies to enforce, as possible arrests will again become imminent if the subjects are non compliant.
For instances where drunk driving is involved, the risk becomes greater, not only to be arrested , but also for the car to be towed, which could also add an additional fines and fees to the sentence.
Unlike most drivers who are caught drinking and driving, some impaired drivers end up with felony charges for hit-and-run, and/or causing a fatal crash or serious injury.
According to court documents, one such driver was arrested for drunk driving on June 8, 2014. It was found that 23-year-old Eduardo Gonzalez Prado had seriously injured several drivers on Interstate 280 Southbound near Lincoln Avenue in San Jose while unlicensed under VC 12500(a), and while driving drunk with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of approximately 0.11%, pursuant VC 23153(a).
The court ordered a judgment on the case on Friday, Dec 5 for restitution in the amount of $77,043 for the damage caused by Prado’s drunk driving, in which he had severally injured a male driver by making an improper lane change. Prado had swerved into the victim’s car, the accident crushing his hip and knee, along with a second passenger who also suffered severe injuries.
Prado was found guilty of VC 1658 (a) neglect of duty while driving a motor vehicle, for causing great bodily injury to the male victim, who has had a metal plate placed in his hip with metal bolts and screws within his knee.
Prado was also sentenced to a 5-month jail term with a 3-year mandatory probation period after his expected release.
