California takes the crime of DUI very seriously, especially when there is an accident involving injuries or death. Serious injuries or death can make a simple misdemeanor DUI a felony. In addition, serious injuries or death could mean that the intoxicated driver is facing charges in addition to the DUI charges. These charges could be something like driving under the influence causing serious injury, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, or even second-degree murder. A driver who is involved in an accident while intoxicated may also face enhancements, which are not separate charges themselves, but instead enhance the penalties of the charges that they are attached to.
The Murrieta Patch reports that a man has been accused of murder in a DUI crash that killed two people.
31-year-old Jose Luis Sepulveda was arrested last week after a month-long investigation. Sepulveda is facing several serious charges, including two counts of second-degree murder, DUI resulting in great bodily injury, and misdemeanor charges of driving on a suspended license, and failure to appear.
The charges stem from a crash that occurred on the night of January 24th. Sepulveda was traveling on Railroad Canyon Road, heading eastbound. He was allegedly intoxicated when he slammed into the rear of a sedan that was traveling in the same direction.
The impact of that collision caused the sedan to cross the center divider, where it slammed into a car traveling westbound. One of the occupants of the westbound car was pronounced dead at the scene. Another occupant was taken to the hospital, where she died several hours later.
Sepulveda was stricken with moderate injuries. The occupants of the car he struck also suffered from injuries. They have since recovered.
Sepulveda has previous convictions for DUI, robbery, and possession of controlled substances. He is also currently involved in an unresolved DUI case.
