DUBLIN — A Manteca resident has accepted a plea deal and a 10-year prison term in connection with a 2021 crash that killed a passenger in his car, court records show.
Alejandro Valencia-Torres Jr., 28, pleaded no contest to a vehicular manslaughter charge, in exchange for prosecutors dropping murder, drunk driving and hit-and-run counts against him. He is set to be formally sentenced on Nov. 15, records show.
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Valencia-Torres posted $75,000 for his release from jail after a judge agreed to set bail, and has remained out of custody — but with location and alcohol monitoring — for the past two-and-a-half years. He committed minor violations during his release, like leaving his home to go to Taco Bell and the gym, but wasn’t dinged for alcohol use, according to court records.
On Valentine’s Day 2021, Valencia-Torres crashed his vehicle on Interstate 580 in Dublin, killing Kenia Hernandez-Berber, a passenger in his car. She was thrown from the vehicle. Valencia-Torres ran away and attempted to hide from police, but they arrested him that same day at a gas station, records show.
The arresting officer smelled alcohol on Valencia-Torres and authorities later confirmed with testing that he was intoxicated, according to prosecutors.
The plea form says that Valencia-Torres will be able to reduce his 10-year prison term by half with good behavior.