A Santa Barbara man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter for a fatal 2021 DUI crash, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney announced on Friday, June 8.
Raul Gonzalez from Santa Barbara pleaded guilty on May 11, 2023, and was sentenced to six years in state prison.
The charges stem from a fatal collision on Nov. 27, 2021, at E. Cota St. and N. Salsipuedes St. in Santa Barbara.
The district attorney's office says on this date, 78-year-old Kenneth Sterling from Santa Barbara was driving a moped when Gonzalez rear-ended Sterling's moped resulting in Sterling’s death. Sterling was pronounced dead at the scene.
“This tragic case illustrates the awful consequences of driving under the influence of alcohol. Kenneth Sterling, an innocent victim, lost his life and Raul Gonzalez lost his freedom," District Attorney John T. Savrnoch stated in a press release.
