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Menifee man pleads guilty to vehicular manslaughter for killing Oceanside woman in head-on crash in Bonsall

VISTA - A Menifee man who was under the influence of marijuana when he caused a head-on crash that killed a 53-year-old Oceanside woman two days before Christmas pleaded guilty today to felony charges of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and DUI causing injury.

Jonathon David Roberts, 22, will be sentenced to five years and eight months in state prison at a hearing May 23 at the Vista Courthouse. As part of his plea, Roberts also admitted an allegation that he caused bodily injury to a separate victim.

Roberts was in a 1997 Dodge Ram pickup headed west on state Route 76 when he drifted into the path of eastbound traffic near Via Monserate in Bonsall about 3:20 p.m. Dec. 23, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Jim Bettencourt.

According to the CHP, the defendant's pickup crashed head on into a 2010 Honda Fit being driven by Socorro Aguirre-Reynosa.

Aguirre-Reynosa died at the scene, and three passengers in the vehicle she was driving -- a man, a 13-year-old boy and a 30-year-old woman -- suffered minor to moderate injuries.

The Medical Examiner's Office identified the passengers as Aguirre- Reynosa's husband, daughter and grandson. All three were taken to Palomar Medical Center.

A 2004 BMW 328i heading east directly behind the Honda Fit also was involved in the accident, going down an embankment, leaving the Carlsbad woman behind the wheel with moderate injuries, Bettencourt said.

The woman was taken to Palomar Medical Center, along with Roberts, who suffered minor injuries.

Bettencourt said a large amount of marijuana was found inside Mr. Roberts vehicle and authorities believed he was under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash.

A witness said that in the moments leading up to the crash, Roberts was crossing over a double-yellow line and swerving ''all over the road,'' according to Bettencourt.

 

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