San Ysidro
The 18-year-old driver of a van filled with illegal aliens that crashed, killing an infant, Thursday was sentenced to prison for six years.
Raul Holguin Garcia of Durango, Mexico, also received a $200 fine from San Diego Superior Court Judge Wayne Peterson, who denied probation.
Peterson said Garcia disregarded the safety of his passengers when he tried to elude capture by the U.S. Border Patrol which chased him on state Route 117 on April 28.
The van overturned at the intersection with Interstate 805, killing 4-month-old Caesar Antonio Gastelum, and injuring 28 undocumented migrants.
Garcia’s attorneys said Garcia intends to plead guilty July 27 to a federal charge of alien smuggling and they are attempting to have Garcia serve out any sentence in federal custody.
Garcia earlier pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence in Chula Vista Municipal Court and his case was transferred downtown.
The judge noted that Garcia had previously used 21 aliases and the same van had been involved in smuggling aliens just four days before the accident.
More to Read
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
