A woman who drove drunk and caused a rollover crash in downtown San Diego that killed her friend was sentenced Wednesday to four years in state prison.
Alexis Quintero, 24, pleaded guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and other charges for the Feb. 6 crash, which occurred at around 3 a.m. on First Avenue, near B Street.
Katherine Garcia, 26, was a passenger in the vehicle and was ejected from the car and died at the scene.
Both women were from the Los Angeles area.
According to Deputy District Attorney Deven Klee, the women were drinking at bars in the Gaslamp Quarter and Quintero’s intention was to drive them back to Los Angeles County that night.
Shortly after the crash, Quintero had a .18% blood-alcohol-content, according to the prosecutor, which is more than twice the legal driving limit in California.
Defense attorney Edward Esqueda, who called the victim his client’s “best friend,” said Quintero has been remorseful since the night of the incident and immediately told police at the scene, “This is all my fault.” He alleged Quintero has not driven or drank alcohol since the night of the crash.
Quintero apologized to Garcia’s family, saying, “I understand if you do not forgive me, but know my intentions were not malicious, but to take her back home like any other day, as we always did.”
