Turlock man sentenced for fatal hit-and-run

A 51-year-old man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for driving recklessly and hitting two people, killing one of them, as they walked near the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds in Turlock.

In late November, Rene Salas of Turlock pleaded guilty to a felony charge of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence as part of a plea deal with prosecutors to avoid trial.

The hit-and-run incident occurred around 10:30 p.m. Jan. 9, 2014, in the 1300 block of Joett Drive, just south of Fulkerth Road. Authorities say Salas was driving the car that struck Elizabeth Mancha, 46, and her boyfriend. Mancha died at the scene, and her boyfriend David McThorn, who suffered severe injuries.

The woman and her boyfriend appeared to have been out for a leisurely walk around Summerfaire Park. The couple’s dog ran off but later was reunited with Mancha’s boyfriend.

On Feb. 9, Superior Court Judge Nancy Ashley sentenced Salas in accordance with the plea agreement, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office announced earlier this week.

This story was originally published February 24, 2016 at 3:29 PM with the headline "Turlock man sentenced for fatal hit-and-run."