Driver convicted of killing three teens

Jenny Marder

The drunk driver who caused a fatal crash that claimed the lives of

three teenage girls a year ago was convicted Tuesday of three counts

of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.

James Paul Bell Jr. of Rowland Heights was the sole survivor in

the accident that claimed the lives of Jillian Baedeker and Chelsea

Toma, both 19, and 18-year-old Nancy Le on March 19, 2002.

Bell, who had a blood alcohol level of more than twice the legal

limit when he ran a red light and broadsided the silver Nissan Sentra

carrying the three girls at the intersection of Beach Boulevard and

Edinger Avenue, could face 16 years in prison.

“This tragedy illustrates what happens when people are driving

under the Influence,” said Michelle Emard, spokeswoman for the Orange

County district attorney. “Their vehicle becomes a two-ton weapon.”

Bell suffered internal injuries, a broken jaw and several teeth

were knocked out, his attorney, Dean Masserman, said.

The jury deliberated for two days before reaching the guilty

verdict, Emard said.

Bell was handcuffed and taken to the Orange County Jail Tuesday.

He had been out on $250,000 bail since March of 2002.

Bell’s term could be from 10 to 16 years, Masserman said.

“Since he has no criminal record, I don’t think the high term was

warranted,” Masserman said. “And there are people in the community

who believe he was making a positive contribution to society.”

The prosecution would not say what term they will ask for.

“We will look at all the surrounding circumstances in order to

make the determination of what we’ll be asking for in the sentence,”

Emard said.

Sentencing is set for 9 a.m. May 30 at the Santa Ana Justice

Center.