DUI driver that killed pregnant mother sentenced to 15 years to life in prison
The woman convicted of killing a pregnant mother while driving under the influence faced the victim's grieving family during her sentencing hearing on Thursday.
"I want you to see her face every single day," widower James Alvarez said. "I want you to share the pain that I have."
With his daughter in his arms, Alvarez cried as he told defendant Courtney Pandolfi that the little girl will forever share her birthday with the date her mother died. Yesenia Aguilar was 8.5 months pregnant when the repeat DUI offender ran the couple down.
"I want you to see the face of my wife in her. Look at the baby," Alvarez said. "This is who — you ruined her life. She won't ever know her mommy and that hurts. It kills me."
Baby Adalyn Rose was born by emergency C-section after the fatal crash. Her dad documented the pain and the joy in the ICU where his daughter was being treated. The convicted driver, 44-year-old Courtney Pandolfi from Garden Grove, pleaded guilty in February to second-degree murder and driving under the influence on a suspended or revoked license. She apologized during her sentencing.
"I just wanted to say how very sorry I am to you guys and your family," she said. "There isn't a day that goes by that I do not think about what I did and how I could have prevented the horrible tragedy that occurred on Aug. 11, 2020."
Pandolfi was given 15 years to life in prison.
"We will hold people accountable for their actions and utilize everything we can under the law to hold them responsible and that's what we did in this case," Orange County Deputy District Attorney Brian Orue said.
