The family of a young mother and infant son who died in an accident in South Sacramento early Sunday morning faced the man accused of causing the accident while driving drunk.
The victim’s aunt, said she was overcome with emotion when she saw 22-year-old defendant in court to render a plea for gross vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence.
“Two lives, they were just beginning,” she said, crying.
The suspect pleaded not guilty to the crash that killed the victim and her eight-month-old baby , which enraged the victim’s family.
“Not guilty? Be a man and confess what you did,” the victim’s aunt said.
Investigators said the victim’s car was stopped at a red light when the suspect, driving drunk, slammed into the back of it.
The babe was killed instantly and the mother died at the scene.
The suspect could face up to 10 years on just one count of vehicular manslaughter. Her’s attorney issued a brief statement offering condolences for the victims’ family.
Funeral services for the two victims have been scheduled for Saturday.
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SACRAMENTO – A mom and infant were killed by a DUI driver in a car accident early Sunday morning.
The California Highway Patrol responded to a report of a car accident at Stockton Blvd. and Orange Ave. at 4:25 a.m.
According to CHP, a 22-year-old man was driving a Toyota 4Runner northbound on Stockton Blvd. at Orange Ave. when he rear ended a Honda Accord that was stopped at a red light. The impact from the crash killed both a 23-year-old mother and her 9-month-old baby boy that were inside the Accord. Both the mother and her son had seatbelts on. Because of the high rate of speed both vehicles propelled through the intersection and across two lanes of traffic, turning the vehicles 180 degrees. Both cars were entangled and sustained major damage.
Her was arrested for DUI and 2 counts of vehicular manslaughter. More charges could be pending.
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On October 01, 2008, 22-year-old Sacramento drunk driver Robert Basinger was sentenced to 6 years in state prison for vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
On Monday, March 10, 2008, at approximately 10:12 p.m., the Sacramento Police Department responded to the intersection of Folsom Boulevard and 47th Street regarding a head-on collision. Ms. Sekul, a 59-year-old school teacher, died at the scene.
During the process of this investigation it was determined that Robert Basinger was driving his 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee westbound on Folsom Blvd, at 47th Street, at speeds up to 71 miles per hour. Mary Sekul was driving her 2002 Mazda 626 eastbound on Folsom Blvd and was in the process of turning left onto 47th Street when the collision occurred.
Witnesses stated that Basinger’s vehicle was traveling at an excessive speed and did not have it’s headlights on. It was determined that Basinger’s blood alcohol content was over 3 times the legal limit (0.26%) at the time of the collision.
The speed of Basinger’s vehicle was determined through momentum calculations and data that was downloaded from the event data recorder in Basinger’s vehicle.
Due to Sekul’s vehicle turning left in front of the path of Basinger’s vehicle, a sight distance study was conducted at the scene. With limited street lighting, Basinger’s vehicle not having it’s headlights on, and the excessive speed that Basinger’s vehicle was traveling, it was nearly impossible for Sekul to have time to identify Basinger’s vehicle as a hazard and take action prior to the collision. Due to the results of this study it was determined that Basinger had forfeited his right of way.
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