According to a recent article appearing on the Orange County Register website, 32-year-old Jesus Segura Herrera was convicted on the charge of DUI second-degree murder for his role in a 2018 crash in Santa Ana that left one man dead and another severely injured.
Court documents indicate Herrera was not only driving with a blood-alcohol level higher than the legal limit of 0.08%. he fled the scene of the crash, which caused serious and permanent injury.
Santa Ana Police reports show that on December 2, 2018, Herreras got behind the wheel of his Acura TL after a night of drinking the “Bucket of Beers” at Spoons Restaurant. At approximately 2:00a.m. Herreras was allegedly driving at an estimated speed of between 40-50 miles per hour on Grand Avenue when he rear-ended a Scion XD at the intersection of Grand and McFadden Avenue.
The passenger in the Scion was declared dead at the scene of the crash. A second passenger in the front seat suffered a traumatic brain injury, spine, rib, and pelvis fractures, and was hospitalized for approximately two months following the crash.
Eyewitnesses to the crash told Herreras to stay put until police and paramedics responded to the scene; however, he got back into his car and attempted to flee the scene. Herreras was stopped when he crashed his Acura into a nearby utility pole.
Investigators found Herraras had a blood-alcohol level of 0.25%, which is over three times the legal limit of 0.08%.
Because of the hit-and-run charge and the severity of injuries involved, prosecutors charged Herreras with second-degree murder rather than manslaughter.
Herreras was previously convicted of a DUI hit-and-run and assault on a police officer in an incident that happened on Halloween of 2008.
A judge has set Herras’ sentencing date for February 4, 2022. He could be facing life in prison.
