Mexican national awaits sentencing in vehicular homicide
By Nathan Gonzalez, The Daily Times
Sep 28, 2005, 10:24 pm

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AZTEC ?A Bloomfield man faces more than 30 years in prison for driving drunk and colliding head on into a vehicle killing one person on March 12.
District Court Judge Thomas Hynes will sentence Javier Oaxaca, 49, on Oct. 11. On Friday, he pleaded guilty in the death of Betty Longacre.
OaxacaæÅ*¯ trial was scheduled to begin Tuesday, until he entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors.
In that agreement he pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide (driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs), great bodily injury by vehicle, driveræÅ*¯ license not in possession and not having evidence of financial responsibility.
He faces up to 31 years, 89 days in state prison and a fine up to $16,300.
Regardless of the sentence imposed by Hynes, Oaxaca, a Mexican national, will likely be deported after serving his sentence because he is an illegal alien, said David Duncan, who prosecuted the case.
Oaxaca was traveling westbound on East Blanco Boulevard in Bloomfield when witnesses stated he crossed the center lane of the road and collided with three vehicles traveling the opposite direction.
OaxacaæÅ*¯ Chevrolet pickup drifted onto eastbound traffic where it side-swiped the driveræÅ*¯ side of Lavall BairdæÅ*¯ vehicle, which caused the æ?¹riveræÅ*¯ side rear view mirror to be broken off.?br /> Shortly before, Oaxaca side-swiped another vehicle driven by James Farmer.
æ?‚fter (Oaxaca) struck Baird and Farmer, he hit the vehicle being driven by Ms. Longacre head-on. The defendant struck three vehicles total, causing severe damage to all involved,?court documents state.
Longacre was transported to San Juan Regional Medical Center where she died from her injuries two hours later.
Bloomfield Police Department Detective David Whitaker requested a search warrant to obtain any of OaxacaæÅ*¯ medical records including a blood test, which was given to determine his blood alcohol content, or BAC.
According to court documents, Oaxaca was æ?ƒncoherent and unable to give consent?to allow a test to determine his BAC.
Court records state, Oaxaca has two convictions for DWI in 2003 by Bloomfield Police and in 2004 by Farmington Police.
Oaxaca continues to be held at San Juan County Detention Center while awaiting sentencing.


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