Los Angeles Woman Sentenced To Four Years For Killing Cyclist In 2013 DUI Crash

A Los Angeles court has sentenced a 21-year-old woman to four years in prison after she was found guilty of causing the death of a cyclist in September 2013. Wendy Stephanie Villegas was sentenced to a 44 month term in jail after she pleaded no contest on March 20 to one count each of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.

The incident leading to the sentencing happened in the early hours of 14 September 2013 when an intoxicated Wendy crashed her car on to a group of cyclists near Boyle heights. The group included 22-year-old cyclist Luis “Andy” Garcia who was fatally injured in the crash. He was dragged along several hundred feet by Wendy’s car as she hurriedly drove away from the scene. Two other people, also cyclists from the group were injured in the crash. According to Mario Lopez, one of the cyclists injured in the crash, the nearly four-year-long prison sentence was not enough for the remorseless Wendy. Describing the events of that day, Garcia said,

“I remember hearing a fast car out of nowhere hitting us from behind. I remember flying, landing on the ground. I remember looking over and seeing Andy’s limp body on the ground. And I see the car, just taking off. My mind, for a second, was like, why aren’t you stopping?”

Lopez told CBS Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, the courtroom where the dead cyclist’s friends and family members had assembled witnessed emotional scenes as Garcia’s girlfriend and mother had an emotional outburst at Wendy. “I hope it keeps you up late at night…your inability to say you’re sorry…is it sad that that’s all I want, is a sorry?” she cried. Garcia’s mom said “Nothing’s going to bring Andy back,” who she described as a “good kid” who deserved better than being run over and left to die. “I wish her whatever she has coming,” she told when asked about Wendy.

At the end of the hearing, Villegas was led back to a courtroom lock up, handcuffed. She was given credit for one day she has already spent in jail. Wendy was also warned that in case she repeats her offense or is caught drinking and driving again once she is out jail in four years’ time, she could be charged with murder and be sentenced to a minimum of a 15 year term in jail.

Do you think the punishment Wendy received for causing the death of the cyclist that was too mild for its nature? Also, with the recent spurt in the number of accidents cyclists are involved in, is California becoming an unsafe area for cyclists to be in?

[Image via Bing]