LOS ANGELES, Calif. – A Los Angeles man who while drunk driving, killed two pedestrians who were in the crosswalk was sentenced to 17 years in prison.
On July 13, 2008, Sergio Rogelio Delgado, 39, was driving on the wrong side of Highland Avenue near the Hollywood Bowl. The police began following him and attempted to make a traffic stop but Delgado continued driving leading to a pursuit. Delgado ran the red light at Wilcox Avenue, striking and killing Cecilia Diaz and Pedro Davila who were in the crosswalk. Delgado did not stop his vehicle after hitting the two victims but stopped shortly after and fled on foot. He was subdued by witnesses until police arrived.
The sentencing came after Delgado pleaded no contest on March 26, 2019, to two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. In addition, there was a sentencing enhancement of hit-and-run driving causing injury or death. Pursuant to the plea deal, Delgado withdrew his not guilty by reason of insanity and also waived the credit for the nearly 11 years of time served.
The defendant was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder and other charges in 2011, but a mistrial was declared after a jury couldn’t reach a verdict on whether he had been sane at the time of the crime. A retrial was pending on the sanity phase at the time of the plea.
