Last Updated on January 4, 2019 by CCAR Staff
A man was sentenced to 13 years in prison for crashing his car into a tree while driving drunk in Rosemead on Christmas Day 2017, leading to the death of his passenger, court officials said Thursday, Jan. 3.
The sentence was delivered by Judge Juan Carlos Dominguez in Pomona in Los Angeles Superior Court in front of family members of victim, El Monte resident Justin Hansen, who was 25 at the time.
Defendant Adam Alexander Chacon, 35, of San Gabriel, pleaded no contest on Dec. 12 to manslaughter and drunken driving charges. The plea was a result of negotiations between the defense and prosecutors with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Chacon had originally faced a murder charge with a possible sentence of 15 years to life. Since Chacon had a previous DUI offense and received education about driving under the influence, the DA’s Office pursued the murder charge.
“The life sentence option was inappropriate in this case, so I made an offer to do less than that, and we negotiated back and forth, and agreed upon the 13 years,” said Sylvan P. Daroca III, Chacon’s defense attorney after Thursday’s sentencing.
Prosecutors said that on Christmas December 2017, Chacon was drunk behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz that slammed into a tree near the intersection of Valley and Temple City boulevards. Although Chacon survived, his passenger, Hansen, died from the crash.
Daroca said Hansen was the son of Chacon’s former girlfriend. Chacon was on his way to drop off Hansen at his home.
During the sentencing, Daroca said many of Hansen’s family members were in attendance, among them, Hansen’s mother and uncle who both gave statements.
“I don’t think there’s any success in this case because of the loss of life. I think it’s a terrible tragedy, and my client feels the same way. He’s very remorseful of what happened and is sorry for the circumstances,” Daroca said when asked about the result of the case. “Do I think it’s a better disposition to 15 years to life? I most certainly do.”
