Man found guilty of falling asleep at wheel, killing three in car crash

MELANIE NGUYEN, The Bakersfield Californian
·1 min read

An Arvin man suspected of falling asleep at the wheel of his car, leading to a fatal car crash that killed three women, was found guilty Wednesday of three counts of second-degree murder and three counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.

Jose de Jesus Velazquez Gomez, 38, failed to stop at a stop sign at Edison and Di Giorgio roads around 5:30 a.m. Nov. 3 and hit a car that traveled out of control into a railroad crossing arm, according to the California Highway Patrol police report submitted to the Kern County courts. All three women in the car died.

“All they ever were was reduced to memory. All they ever would be was reduced to dreams,” prosecutor William Schlaerth said on May 15 during opening statements for the case in Kern County Superior Court.

After the verdict, Schlaerth told The Californian Wednesday that the verdict "provides accountability" for the act committed by the defendant and "honors the lives of the women that were lost."

The Californian contacted the Public Defender's Office for comment Wednesday afternoon but could not be connected for comment from Velazquez Gomez's defense attorney, Nathalie Sahakian.

Velazquez Gomez told officers he believed he fell asleep while he was driving after he had not sleep for a few days, according to the CHP report. According to the statement, a witness told CHP officers that she believed Velazquez Gomez was “coming down” from a methamphetamine high the morning of the crash.

Velazquez Gomez’s next court hearing will be May 29, when the attorneys and the judge will discuss factors in aggravation. Sentencing is scheduled for July 9.