Man, 22, Gets 9 Years In Prison For Fatal Hit-And-Run Of Bicyclist He Left On Hood For 200 Yards
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The LA County District Attorney's office announced that a 22-year-old Los Angeles man was sentenced Thursday to nine years in state prison for the fatal hit-and-run death of a bicyclist earlier this year in Highland Park.
Alexis Virto pleaded no contest last month to one count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. He was sentenced by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Scott Gordon.
On June 26 at about 3 a.m., Virto was driving northbound on Figueroa Street near Pasadena Avenue when he struck 33-year-old cyclist Jose Luna.
Virto was driving at a high rate of speed and the impact of the crash severed one of the victim's legs. The DA also said Virto continued to drive with Luna on his hood for about 200 more yards and then reportedly dragged him for another 300 feet.
Virto abandoned his car and was later arrested at his home -- about six blocks from the accident scene.
At time of his arrest, LAPD Detective Johnny Meneses said that nearly six hours after the crash, Virto was still highly intoxicated and still had glass and debris from the windshield in his hair.
