A man charged with gross vehicular manslaughter in connection with the deaths of a San Luis Obispo couple and their dog has pleaded guilty.
On November 21, 2022, Matthew Chachere and Jennifer Besser were walking their dog along Sacramento Drive at about 5:30 p.m. when they were struck by a car. The car also hit a curb, a street sign, and part of a bridge.
Chachere, Besser and their dog, Buddy, were thrown into an area of heavy brush near a creek. Their bodies were found more than a day later after family members reported them missing.
Police said the driver, Daniel Saligan Patricio, had been speeding, failed to make a 90-degree turn, and went off the road.
Police said Saligan Patricio either did not know or failed to tell officers at the scene that he had struck anyone.
Saligan Patricio was arrested in February 2023 and initially pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following a preliminary hearing in November 2023, the judge ruled that the case would go to trial.
This week, Saligan Patricio pleaded guilty to two felony counts. He is scheduled to be sentenced in April.
According to the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office, because Saligan Patricio entered his pleas without any agreement on a sentence, the judge has wide discretion in imposing a sentence, which can be up to seven years and four months in prison.
