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09/23/2011 08:09 AM by Shelby Rhodes
The big rig driver who crashed his gravel truck into a Santa Barbara home in August 2010, killing a family of three, is scheduled for sentencing Friday.
Joaquin Morales, 62, could receive u… Click to Read More and see additional updates
09/23/2011 08:09 AM by Shelby Rhodes
The big rig driver who crashed his gravel truck into a Santa Barbara home in August 2010, killing a family of three, is scheduled for sentencing Friday.
Joaquin Morales, 62, could receive up to three years in county jail, but he will not go to state prison. Back in July Morales changed his plea to no contest. Prosecutors agreed to reduce the three counts of vehicular manslaughter from felonies to misdemeanors.
Morales lost his brakes coming off Highway 154 and crashed into a home just south of the State Street intersection.
Investigators has said Morales showed gross negligence because of the poor condition of his truck and concerns over his speed.
07/12/2011 08:35 PM by Ariel Wesler
The driver who crashed his big rig into a Santa Barbara home killing a family of three last August will not stand trial. Joaquin Morales, 62, lost his brakes coming off Highway 154 and crashed into a home, just south of State Street, killing a family of three. Investigators had said Morales showed gross negligence because of the poor condition of his truck and not driving safely.
It's been almost a year since a gravel truck came barreling down Highway 154, claiming the lives of three people, including an 8-year-old boy. The devastating crash rocked the Santa Barbara community, but was it gross negligence? After two full days of preliminary hearings, the judge heard closing arguments.
"The defendant took known and calculated risks from the moment he left the tri-county yard," said Prosecutor Stephen Wagner, who specializes in vehicular homicide cases.
"They know that they have no ability to prove that he violated a law," said Defense Attorney Mark Pachowicz, referring to prosecutors.
Both sides struck a deal. Morales plead "No Contest" after the District Attorney agreed to reduced the three counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence from felonies to misdemeanors.
"It is the People's way of actually acknowledging ha the defendant in some instances may have not been as much at fault," Wagner said.
Morales now faces up to three years in county jail, but won't go to prison.
"There's no winners or losers. You've lost three lives. Mr Morales now is going to have misdemeanor convictions. He's going to have to suffer the consequences of probation and he'll probably never drive a truck again," said Senior District Attorney Arnis Tolks.
"This is a very tragic situation but it's not one that he wanted to have happen. It's an accident and unfortunately, the District Attorney has tried to characterize it as criminal," Pachowicz said.
With the conviction, Morales will have his license suspended.
Sentencing is set for September 25 at 8:30 a.m. at the Superior Courthouse in Santa Barbara.
07/12/2011 03:56 AM by Shelby Rhodes
A judge is scheduled to make a decision Tuesday on whether the big rig driver whose truck pummeled into a Santa Barbara home last August, killing a family of three inside, will stand trial.
Joaquin Morales of Oxnard is charged with three counts of felony vehicular manslaughter in connection with the crash. Prosecutors say his truck failed to stop at Highway 154 and State Street and crashed into a home.
Ventura County Court records show Morales has been issued 22 citations since 1998. They range from allegations of speeding, to driving a commercial vehicle where it is not allowed.
03/09/2011 08:48 AM by Bethany Tucker, KSBY News
The Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office announces prosecutors have filed vehicular manslaughter charges against the driver of a big rig truck that crashed into a Santa Barbara home last year, killing a family of three.
That crash happened back in August of 2010. Officers say Joaquin Garcia Morales was driving a big rig truck on Highway 154, when it failed to stop at the intersection at State Street and crashed into a home. 22-year-old Leon Leonel, 26-year-old Lorena Tellez Pacheco and 8-year-old Jaciel Tellez died. After the crash, the California Highway Patrol said the brake's on Morales's truck failed when he approached that intersection. The CHP finished its report on the crash in January 2011, and that report was forwarded to the District Attorney's Office.
The District Attorney's Office Wednesday announced it has filed three felony vehicular manslaughter charges against Moralez. He's expected to be arraigned on those charges on Monday, March 14th.
Ventura County court records show Morales has been issued 22 citations since 1998. They range from allegations of speeding, to driving a commercial vehicle where it's not allowed.
08/26/2010 12:20 AM by Bethany Tucker
The Mexican consulate is asking for the community's help to raise money for the family killed in a big rig crash in Santa Barbara Tuesday morning.
The consulate has set up a bank account through Wells Fargo, for people to make donations in memory of Leonel Leon Venegas, Lorena Telles Pacheco and their son Jasiel Telles Pacheco.
The family was killed Tuesday morning, when brakes failed on a big rig truck as it was coming down from Highway 154 to State St. The driver of that truck could not drop the vehicle, and the big rig crashed into the families home. All three died at the scene.
While their ties to Mexico are unclear, the Mexican consulate says anyone wishing to make a donation can do so through the Wells Fargo Account # 33-95-03-85-85.
08/24/2010 11:46 AM by KCO
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) - Authorities and neighbors say a runaway gravel truck that smashed into a home near Santa Barbara killed a couple and their 7-year-old son.
The bodies of a man, woman and child were pulled from the wreckage after a truck hauling up to 26 tons of gravel careened off State Highway 154, across State Street and flew over an embankment onto the home shortly before 7 a.m. Tuesday.
A California Highway Patrol traffic Web site says the truck lost its brakes.
Santa Barbara County fire Capt. David Sadecki says the truck flattened the small wooden home. Neighbors at first said there might be a fourth victim but Sadecki says it's been determined nobody else was home at the time.
Coroner's officials haven't named the victims but a neighbor says they're Leo and Lorena Leon and their 7-year-old son.
Watch KSBY News at 5 and 6 p.m. for a live report from the scene of the crash.
08/24/2010 07:48 AM by Bethany Tucker
Santa Barbara County Fire officials say crews are currently searching for four people missing after a big rig crashed into a building in Santa Barbara Tuesday morning.
That crash happened at about 6:50a.m. Tuesday, at a residential building located at 4111 State St., near Highway 154. According to maps, that is where the Hope Ranch Inn is located. Fire officials say the double-trailer big rig was hauling gravel from highway 154 to the driveway of the residence when, for unknown reasons, it continued and crashed into the residence. Crews say Urban Search and Rescue Teams are on scene now, searching for four people who may have been inside the structure when the crash happened. Fire officials also say the building is collapsing.
There are also reports that live power lines are down in the area, and there is a possible gas leak.
Santa Barbara City Fire Department, the California Highway Patrol and Caltrans are also helping with this incident.
KSBY News has a crew on the way, stay with us for the latest on this developing story.
08/24/2010 07:26 AM by Bethany Tucker
Emergency crews in Santa Barbara are responding to accident in which a big rig crashed into a home, with people inside.
The incident was reported at about 6:50a.m. Tuesday, on the 4100 blk. of State St. According to emergency radio traffic; two men, one woman and a child were inside the home when the accident happened. There are also reports that parts of the home have collapsed.
Stay with KSBY.com for the latest on this developing story.
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