A Woodland man whose impaired driving resulted in a pre-Thanksgiving Day crash that killed a 10-year-old girl in 2009 has made a plea agreement that’s expected to result in a 10-year prison sentence.
Arnoldo Barraza Sr., 28, pleaded no contest last week to a charge of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and with gross negligence, with enhancements for causing great bodily injury and for a prior prison sentence, Yolo County Chief Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Raven said.
Raven said Barraza, who was placed on a parole hold upon his arrest, also waived the jail credits he earned while awaiting trial.
Barraza’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Ron Johnson, could not be reached for comment Thursday. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 1 before Yolo Superior Court Judge Stephen Mock.
California Highway Patrol officers said Barraza was at the wheel of a Mazda traveling an estimated 85 mph on County Road 22E east of Woodland when he lost control of the vehicle and ran off the road on the afternoon of Nov. 23, 2009 — three days before Thanksgiving.
None of the vehicle’s occupants — including three young children — were properly restrained, and several were thrown from the wreckage, authorities said. Destiny Martinez-Gonzalez, 10, died at the scene. The other two children, 4-year-old Elise Martinez-Gonzalez and 1-year-old Arnoldo Barraza Jr., survived.
The crash also injured the girls’ mother, Cirena Debra Martinez of Woodland, who initially was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment, but the DA’s office later declined to prosecute her.
Yolo court records show Barraza was arrested for driving under the influence and without a driver’s license in April 2005. His prior court cases, which date back to 2003, involve arrests on charges including attempted auto theft, assault resulting in great bodily injury, criminal street gang activity, battery and resisting arrest.
— Reach Lauren Keene at lkeene@davisenterprise.net or (530) 747-8048. Follow her on Twitter @laurenkeene