LANCASTER – A man who drunkenly crashed an SUV into a Palmdale home, killing a 16-year-old girl sleeping inside, pleaded no contest Thursday to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
Roberto Rodriguez, 21, of Palmdale, was immediately sentenced to 10 years in state prison and was ordered to pay $10,709 in restitution to the victim’s family to cover funeral expenses, according to Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Rodriguez also waived his “back” time, meaning he gave up credit for the 18 months he’s already served in custody, Santiago said.
The sentence stems from a deadly crash that occurred during the early morning hours of April 20, 2014, which was Easter Sunday.
Rodriguez plowed a 2007 Nissan Pathfinder into a bedroom in an apartment complex near Avenue R and 10th Street East in Palmdale, killing Giselle Mendoza as she slept.
In a recorded interview with detectives following the crash, a then 20-year-old Rodriguez said he had consumed six to seven cans of Bud Light while playing beer pong at a friend’s house. Rodriguez said he remembered “going fast” on the drive home, but didn’t remember the crash, according to the recorded interview, which was played at a preliminary court hearing earlier this year.
“I closed my eyes and, next thing you know, just crashed,” Rodriguez said, according to the police interview.
A Nissan technical specialist said Rodriguez’s Pathfiinder was traveling 105 miles per hour in the seconds before its airbags deployed, according to testimony at the preliminary court hearing. The vehicle jumped a raised curb and went through a fence before crashing through the structural wall of the apartment complex and into Mendoza’s bedroom, a sheriff’s deputy testified at the hearing.
Rodriguez was originally charged with murder and DUI, along with the vehicular manslaughter charge, and could have faced 15 years to life in prison if convicted of all charges, prosecutors said.
Previous related stories:
Lawsuit filed in Easter Sunday crash that killed sleeping teen
Hearing starts for driver accused of crashing through bedroom, killing sleeping teen
Alleged DUI driver charged with murder in Easter Sunday apartment crash
Loved ones mourn girl killed when alleged drunk driver crashed through bedroom
Suspected drunk driver crashes SUV into apartment, teen killed
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amber says
RIP Gissele may all her family find piece and forgiveness we all mess up weather its its a fight, ticket or what this idiot decided to do people calm your self were here to support gissels voice cause she no longer has one my daughter among others knew this little lady and was and forever will be effected by this tragedy I could never imagine the pain as a mother losing a child and I pray I never do but for those who are arguing about stupid stuff you have life this child no longer does we’re her supporters so stop the arguing about non sense live life to the fullest cause just like that it could be taken RIP gissel forever in our prYerseand thoughts fly high with the angels
m says
This is so sad. I understand the justice system but can’t help to feel bad for Giselle’s family. Roberto got 10 years and remember they are still taking away the time he’s been in prison so that like a year and some months. And on top they always take time away for good behavior so he’ll be out in time to live a good amount of his life. He’ll always have to live with the guilt but the young girl she doesn’t have that opportunity. May she rest in peace. And I pray that the family of this young girl gets peace as well. It’s hard I know I’ve been down a similar rode. I can literally say that I know how this family feels. God bless everybody!
Ts says
Isn’t there a law that states if he knowingly drinks and gets behind of a wheel of a two ton or more of a moving missile there he could be accused of 2nd degree of murder?
Danny says
That’s it 10 years not even a enough for what this trash did. Hopefully he gets his while inside.
Mamatee says
While reading all of the comments it tickles me to read those of Tim Scott. I understand what it is you are saying but let’s look at the reality of life. If he had been accused of molesting a child who was innocently sleeping in her bed, chances are he would’ve received more prison time. However, those accused of a crime in most cases are allowed to “plea” to lesser charges. This helps the court system more than the justice that is deserved. Stop acting as if the opinions of others do not matter and stating things you obviously have no direct knowledge of. You obviously have not been a victim of crime or you never have been involved in the court system for anything other than a traffic ticket. While reading the comments of others you can tell that they have some knowledge of how screwed up the system is. So get off of your high-horse, go ahead and get accused of a serious crime then you will be pleased that you were allowed to “plea” and not have to accept the FULL extent of the actual “law”. Your family and we’ll wishers will be happy but trust me, the victim’s family would say “JUSTICE ” was NOT served. Just because that’s the way things are dosent mean we have to agree. Yes, he should have been given more time. He took a life!!!! Dosent that mean anything? May Giselle rest in peace.
Robin says
And now he has become the victim….. I’m just shaking my head at all this chat about him and his consequences…. how about Giselle’s family, her parents will never get to see her walk the graduation walk, her dad will never get to walk her down the aisle, her mom will be able to give her advice on being parent because GISELLE isn’t able to walk on earth any longer, all because Roberto chose to drink and drive which is illegal, then driving at a high rate speed. He may be remorseful, but let’s pray his remorse is for Giselle and her family and not because he was caught. Not to mention the amount of restitution doesn’t even begin to cover the loss for her family, financially or emotionally.
Tim Scott says
Where exactly do you come up with “he has become the victim”?
Annon says
He is getting away with murder….. wow.
Tim Scott says
No, he isn’t. There are more aspects to the definition of murder in the statute that his case doesn’t even come close to than it meets. he got convicted of manslaughter, and rightfully so, but manslaughter specifically is NOT murder.
M says
So he is getting away with killing an inocent girl, whose mistake was being home and asleep at the time this … thing, decided to drink and drive!
Tim Scott says
Yes. However, there is no “killing an innocent girl whose mistake was being home and asleep” law. There is murder, which this wasn’t, and there is manslaughter, which this was. He got convicted for what he did, not what he didn’t, and “got away” with an infinite variety of things that there are no laws about.
Not an idiot says
He was convicted of gross vehicular manslaughter, the definition is, “involves death of an individual as result of murderous operation of a vehicle.” How is that not murder? It is murder.
Tim Scott says
Didn’t someone just say that that was the definition of gross vehicular manslaughter?
Wait.
That was YOU that said that!
I don’t get it. What are you trying to say here? Was it manslaughter, or murder?
Not an idiot says
Manslaughter is the killing of another person. GVM is a murderous action with a vehicle. the definition of murderous, capable of or intending to murder. Synonym, homicidal
Johnny Trece says
Her death was not premeditated nor intentional. Murder charge out the window.
Alex says
What he did is unforgettable and possibly unforgivable but in all seriousness he got what he deserves the moment of the incident. A shattered soul an unforgivable amount of hate from everyone around him and a ruined life. People don’t understand that the girl wasn’t the only one who died that day, that man has to live through what he has done and deal with all the hate and negativity people are throwing at him which has probably killed him inside. So basically he’s already living in hell and is carrying that girl on his shoulders until the day he dies.
Tim Scott says
Maybe. I was going to say this to the bloodthirsty vengeance mongers, but I’ll say it here since you seem like a rational person who will be more worth talking to.
There are any number of outreach programs at the prisons, and lord knows we have no shortage of prisons. If you go talk to actual prisoners I think that you will find that they do build up that burden of remorse and regret…for about a year, or sometimes longer if their case takes longer to work through the courts. As you say, that’s a harsh penalty all its own, but I think your perspective that it crashes down immediately is not really always how it works.
Of course the “I hope he serves every day of the ten years so he gets the message” idea is also nowhere near how it works. Once their case is completely resolved I think you will find that most inmates have to adapt. The remorse and regret don’t just “go away,” but the institutional lifestyle really doesn’t make dwelling on the mistakes that got them there a likely outcome. Dealing with the conditions of living, on a daily basis, just is what it is; much like the average joe thinks a lot more about the tribulations of his morning commute, the workaday routine of his job, and state of his fantasy football team than he thinks about the state of the world.
Cue the lunatic fringe of “Tim always sides with the criminals” nonsense spewers. Okay, now that we’ve heard everything worthwhile they have to say…
I’m not “siding” with anyone. I think that beyond a certain point prison doesn’t do much but satisfy the demand for bloody vengeance from people who claim to be the “good upstanding righteous” part of society, and in going beyond the point where it actually does any good it has vast negative consequences.
Here we have a drunk driver. He has probably been in jail during his case, but even if not his life was totally disrupted. With his situation splattered across all local media we can assume he couldn’t work, couldn’t do much of any normal stuff, and has been face to face with the error of his ways for the duration. Whatever remorse and regret he is ever likely to feel he feels right now.
Now he is going to spend however many years adapting to an institutional environment that has almost no useful parallel to the outside world. The chances that we the people will receive anything remotely resembling a useful citizen at the end of that process are slim to nil, and WE ALL KNOW IT. But the savages demand their pound of flesh, no matter how much it actually costs.
S says
He deserves life. How in the world does he get sentenced with just 10 years after being intoxicated, speeding, and killing a young girl IN HER OWN BED? He doesnt deserve any kind of remorse or sympathy. That shows how messed up our system is.
Tim Scott says
He got convicted of manslaughter. How in the world do you come up with life as an appropriate sentence for manslaughter? I get that people by nature have a strong bloodlust and thirst for revenge, but c’mon man, let civilization curb your inner savage just a little bit.
Zachary says
No
Jane says
Um, because in 10 years he’ll be free to “live” again and get a second chance, while the innocent girl got LIFE. Life for a life is pretty fair. Especially since she’s not here to speak for herself.
Tim Scott says
So is “an eye for an eye,” but our criminal justice system isn’t based on the Talmud. If you want the guy dead, man up and kill him, then take the “fair” consequences without contest or complaint.
Annon says
What ever he got charged for….. he did not get enough time for the crime.
J says
I hope he serves every day of that sentence. It won’t bring back this little girl though. It sure will give him lots of time to think about what he did…
Ryan Hunt says
This is tragic, it was not this man’s intent to kill anyone. This was not manslaughter but woman slaughter. I pray for the victims family and friends.