Turlock man was driving drunk, crashed head-on with another vehicle

A 26-year-old Turlock man has been sentenced to five years in prison for driving drunk and crashing head-on with another vehicle, injuring two people.

Jose Luis Ochoa Cuevas on Sept. 12, pleaded no contest to felony driving under the influence of alcohol and causing injury, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office announced in a news release this week.

Prosecutors said Cuevas had two alcohol-related reckless driving convictions in 2011 and 2013. They said he was still on probation for his 2013 conviction when the crash occurred Aug. 6, 2016.

Cuevas was lost control of his car, crossed into the opposing lane and collided head-on with the other vehicle, according to the prosecution. The other vehicle’s driver suffered moderate injuries and a passenger suffered a broken arm which required surgery.

A California Highway Patrol officer investigating the crash noticed Cuevas smelled like alcohol. Prosecutors said Cuevas admitted to drinking before the crash, and a blood test determined his alcohol content level was 0.11 percent; more than the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

In addition to Cuevas’ no contest plea last week, he admitted to inflicting great bodily injury on the vehicle’s passenger. Prosecutors said the injury enhancement elevated the DUI charge to a strike under the state’s “Three Strikes” law, which makes Cuevas eligible for a longer prison sentence should he be convicted of another felony crime.

Deputy District Attorney Bianca Yip prosecuted the case against Cuevas. Her job is funded by a grant from the state Office of Traffic Safety.

This story was originally published September 19, 2017 at 12:46 PM with the headline "Turlock man was driving drunk, crashed head-on with another vehicle."