DUI driver convicted of manslaughter in fatal Nipomo crash
December 15, 2020
By JOSH FRIEDMAN
A Santa Maria man who drove the wrong way while intoxicated, causing a crash in Nipomo that killed an 82-year-old woman, managed to evade a second-degree murder conviction after a single juror held out from finding him guilty on Monday.
The San Luis Obispo jury split 11-1 in favor of convicting Edgar Saul Rojas Morales, 25, of second-degree murder. The jury did, however, convict Morales of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury and driving on a suspended license.
Morales faces a possible sentence of 15 years to life in prison, because of prior convictions.