Drunk Driver Gets Nine Years for Death of College Student

July 27, 2009

Orange County - Yanira Ramirez, a 28-year old single mother of two was sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison for vehicular manslaughter, in a drunken crash killed a 19-year old college student in November 2007.

Pauline Samantha Portes, was a passenger in the pick-up truck which was hit head-on by Ramirez who was driving the wrong way on the 55 freeway in Orange. Her boyfriend, Steven Nguyen who was driving, was also injured.

Although the police could not determine how Ramirez ended up driving on the wrong side of the freeway, she admitted to having consumed alcohol prior to driving. The police report stated Ramirez had Crown Royal and colas, two Patron tequila shots and three Jagermeister "bombs" at the Cheesecake Factory and Tia Juana's bar in Irvine.

Ramirez claims that she could not remember the crash or what caused it. She did not have a prior record for driving under the influence.

Deputy District Attorney Jason Baez called for imposing the maximum sentence of 13 years, eight months and said that Portes' death an "aggravated case" caused by the grossly negligent driving of the defendant.

However, the Superior Court Judge Gary S. Paer who sentenced Ramirez said that it was hard to render a decision and that the accident was a complete disaster for everyone involved.