A 21-year-old California man who admitted to driving under the influence and causing a fatal DUI accident has been sentenced to four years and four months in prison, according to Sign On San Diego.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Eugenia Eyherabide sentenced Long Xu of Los Angeles County to the lowest prison term available under the law, stating that Xu had apparently lived a law-abiding life until this incident.
“By all accounts, you are a very good, extraordinary person,” Eyherabide told the defendant. At the same time, she highlighted noted that the evidence showed that Xu drove “way too fast,” causing the car to flip three or four times. His blood-alcohol content was 0.10 percent following the collision, according to prosecutors.
When police arrived at the scene of the accident, Xu was outside a 2011 Toyota Camry with his friend Guozhen Yu, 23, who had been a passenger in the back seat. While Yu and Xu only suffered minor injuries, Jiani Cheng, who was in the front passenger seat, died of blunt force head trauma.
Her aunt and uncle described her in court as an accomplished dancer who had competed in England and Hong Kong and dreamed of one day performing on “Dancing with the Stars.”
As this case demonstrates, a California DUI accident can have serious, life-altering consequences. Therefore, if you or someone you love has been arrested for drunk driving, be sure to consult with an experienced California DUI Defense attorney as soon as possible.
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