Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced today that Andres Espinoza, age 21, of Greenfield, was sentenced to four years in state prison today for the June 25, 2022, collision that resulted in the death of victim Norbert Azevedo Jr. The victim’s wife, siblings and two young children gave impact statements to the court explaining how the victim’s death had devastated their family. The four-year sentence was the maximum sentence available to the court due to new legislation that took effect January 1, 2022, that directs the court’s discretion to impose lesser sentences for youthful offenders.
On June 25, 2022, just after 3:00 a.m., Andres Espinoza was driving a Subaru WRX sedan at speeds exceeding 90mph northbound on Highway 101, just north of Main Street in Salinas. Due to his level of intoxication, Espinoza rear ended victim Norbert Azevedo Jr.’s Dodge Ram 2500, sending the pickup out of control where it overturned off the side of the highway. Victim Norbert Azevedo Jr., who had been on his way to work at the time of the collision, was declared deceased at the scene.
Espinoza fled the scene of the crash and was contacted several hours later by California Highway Patrol Officers at his home in Greenfield. Espinoza admitted to driving his vehicle earlier that morning and colliding with something on the highway in Salinas but denied knowing he had hit another vehicle. A breath alcohol test revealed that Espinoza had a blood alcohol concentration of .08.
The case was investigated by the California Highway Patrol and prosecuted by the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office specialized DUI Vertical Prosecution Unit. Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
