Rollover Crash Turns Fatal In Norwalk

It’s a tragedy for all involved when someone loses their life in a DUI accident. Generally, the intoxicated driver would be charged with one of the manslaughters while intoxicated charges. However, there is another charge that an intoxicated driver may face when their drunken driving leads to a fatality. That charge is called DUI murder, which is a second-degree murder charge. It is a much more serious charge than manslaughter and if convicted, could mean between 15 years to life in prison. This is one of the rarest charges and is usually reserved for those who have previous DUI convictions, or the DUI is particularly egregious.

KTLA reports on a 21-year-old charged with murder in a fatal Norwalk rollover crash.

On Wednesday, 21-year-old Austin Redden pleaded not guilty to charges of DUI murder and driving under the influence causing bodily injury.

The charges stem from a crash last Monday when Redden lost control of the SUV that he was driving and slammed into an unoccupied tow truck on Rosecrans Boulevard near Elaine Avenue.

20-year-old Jacob Scianni, a passenger in the SUV, was killed in the crash. 19-year-old passengers Diego Castillo and Andrea Sandoval were also seriously injured in the crash. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Sandoval is still in the hospital on life support.

Nearby surveillance video caught the crash, which overturned the SUV, spinning it on its roof. Witnesses told police that the SUV flipped at least four times before landing on the roof. They also reported that just prior to the crash, Redden was speeding and driving recklessly.

Redden is being held on a bond of $1.6 million.

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