After months of waiting, 29-year-old Bani Marcela Duarte was sentenced Thursday, February 27. She was formally charged back in October for a DUI crime that occurred March 29, 2018.
Four teenagers from Nevada were celebrating their spring break in Orange County in March 2018. While the teens were at a red light, Duarte failed to stop and rear-ended the teens at a high rate of speed.
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When her blood alcohol content level was tested, she registered at .30%. The legal limit is .08%.
The force of the impact from her crashing into them pushed the vehicle into a pole and a vehicle fire broke out.
Three of the teens were killed in the accident- 17-year-old Brooke Hawley, 18-year-old Dylan Mack, and 17-year-old Albert “A.J.” Rossi. A fourth teen was injured in the accident. They experienced burn injuries and a concussion.
Duarte was arrested by the Huntington Beach Police Department for driving under the influence.
On October 1, 2019, Duarte received her conviction for the March 2018 accident.
She received three felony counts for murder, one felony count of driving under the influence causing bodily injury, and a sentence enhancement for great bodily injury.
Family members who came to the sentencing hearing spoke out about how their lives have been changed forever because of Duarte’s decision to drink and drive that night.
The father of Albert “A.J.” Rossi informed Duarte she would still be able to see her children behind the glass in prison. If they wanted to see their son, they had to visit the cemetery. He then thanked her for that.
Duarte had been previously charged with a DUI in 2016. She had lost her license for a year because of it.
Now, Duarte gets a sentence of 51 years to life in prison for the conviction of the accident.