Immigrant smuggler convicted of three counts of second-degree murder


SIGNONSANDIEGO.COM

VISTA – An immigrant smuggler who crashed during a car chase, fatally injuring three people on Highway 78 near Borrego Springs, was convicted of three counts of second-degree murder Tuesday.

Antonio Sanchez, 30, was being retried on those charges after his original conviction was overturned on appeal.

Sanchez was accused of smuggling a group of people across the border, wedging three men and a woman into the back seat of a sedan on June 26, 2003.

According to trial testimony, the defendant was driving on Highway 78 with the three men and the woman in the back seat, when he saw a California Highway Patrol officer and got spooked.

Witnesses testified that Sanchez sped off on a narrow and winding stretch of road and, within about 2 miles, collided with another car. The woman and two men in the back were killed.

A jury of seven men and five women deliberated for nearly six hours before reaching their verdict.

Defense attorney Sloan Ostbye said she was “very disappointed that the jury wasn't able to focus on the efforts my client made to avoid injury to the others.”

Jurors left the courthouse without commenting.

If Vista Superior Court Judge Marguerite Wagner orders Sanchez to serve his sentence concurrently, he could be sent to prison for 23 years to life. Sentencing is set for June 2.

If ordered to serve the terms consecutively, he would face 53 years to life, the same sentence he was given after his first trial. The passenger who survived the crash testified against Sanchez in the first trial.

Fortunately the car he crashed into caused no major injuries to the innocent occupants. Of course, local San Diego news totally ignored this story, as they usually do when alien smugglers kill and injure. When they drive 100 mph in the wrong direction of local freeways and cause accidents, the local news will report it as a 'wrong way driver' story.