A manslaughter charge differs from a murder charge in that there is no intent to kill. When it comes to the difference between gross vehicular manslaughter and vehicular manslaughter, the primary difference is negligence. In vehicular manslaughter, there is only ordinary negligence. This means that the driver was doing something other than driving while intoxicated that was illegal. When it comes to gross vehicular manslaughter, it means that the driver acted with gross negligence. Gross negligence implies that the driver was aware that what they were doing could hurt or kill another person.
KTLA reports that a woman was killed after a suspected DUI driver was speeding and lost control of his vehicle.
The crash occurred at about 2:40 a.m. on Sunday, August 18th in Long Beach. Osvaldo Ramirez-Vazquez was driving a 1999 Lincoln Town Car. He lost control of the vehicle and veered into oncoming traffic, hitting a Cadillac being driven by an unnamed Garden Grove resident.
Police arrived on scene to find a 21-year-old Bellflower woman trapped in the Lincoln. They extricated her and rushed her to an area hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries. The driver of the Cadillac had to be extricated as well and suffered from minor injuries.
Police believe that Ramirez-Vazquez was intoxicated, and he was arrested. He is facing charges of DUI and vehicular manslaughter. Officials did not release the identity of the deceased woman.
