Oakdale man sentenced for drunk driving crash that killed Modesto woman

A 36-year-old Oakdale man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for driving drunk and high on methamphetamine in a head-on crash that killed a Modesto woman last year.

Michael Jasper Daniels was driving a small sport utility vehicle that drifted into an oncoming lane and collided with a compact car driven by Karen Peña-Marquez. The 28-year-old woman became pinned inside her car and died at the scene, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Daniels on July 25 pleaded no contest to felony vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence in connection with Pena-Marquez’s death, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday.

On Aug. 20, Stanislaus Superior Court Judge Linda McFadden sentenced Daniels. The defendant on Friday afternoon remained in custody at the Stanislaus County Jail awaiting his transfer to prison.

Daniels’ charge is considered a strike under state’s “Three Strikes” law, which can be used to increase a prison sentence if he is convicted of another felony. Deputy District Attorney Bianca Yip prosecuted the case.

The crash occurred about 4:30 p.m. May 25, 2017, on Parker Road, between Dewitt Road and Church Street just east of Modesto.

Daniels was heading east on Parker in an Acura MDX, when his vehicle drifted into the westbound lane. The CHP said his vehicle crashed with a Mazda 3 Peña-Marquez was driving.

Prosecutors said Daniels was under the influence of alcohol and meth at the time of the crash.

Daniels suffered minor injuries and was treated at a Modesto hospital, before he was arrested and booked at the Stanislaus County Jail.

This story was originally published August 25, 2018 at 3:23 PM.