Man 25, Convicted Of Murder For Causing Senior's Death In Hit-And-Run DUI Crash
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Authorities said a 25-year-old man was convicted Thursday for a fatal DUI crash resulting in the death of a female senior last November.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office said the jury deliberated for a day before finding Juan Gabriel Rios guilty of five felonies.
Rios was found guilty of second-degree murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage causing injury, driving with a .08% blood alcohol content causing injury and hit-and-run driving resulting in death or serious injury to another person.
Jurors also found true a special allegation that the defendant personally inflicted great bodily injury during the commission of the crime.
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Rios is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 3 in the Pomona branch of the Superior Court. He faces a entence of 24 years to life in state prison.
Deputy DA Lauren Guber said in the late evening of Nov. 7, 2014, Rios was driving under the influence when he attempted to enter the 10 Freeway and crashed into another vehicle near the Rosemead exit.
The victims, an elderly couple from Rosemead, were hospitalized after the incident. However, the wife, Kit Ching Leung, ultimately succumbed to her injuries.
Following the collision, the defendant's vehicle went down an embankment and Rios fled the scene. Authorities were called and they soon located the defendant and arrested him.
