A 28-year-old man convicted of driving drunk and fatally striking a tow truck driver was sentenced to state prison this week, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced.
Raymond Burley III of Los Angeles pleaded guilty on July 25 to a felony count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in case NA095578.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mark C. Kim sentenced Burley to four years in state prison on Monday. A restitution hearing was scheduled for Jan. 15 at the Los Angeles County Superior Court in Long Beach in Department 20.
Deputy District Attorney Vance Davis said in the early morning of Dec. 9, 2012, the former emergency medical technician was driving home from a holiday party when he crashed into a tow-truck operator servicing a disabled vehicle on the 405 Freeway.
The victim, Faapuna Mac Manu, 27, was killed upon impact.
Immediately after the fatal collision, the defendant attempted to slash his wrists, according to court testimony.
Authorities arrived at the accident and arrested Burley in connection with the crash.
Evidence presented at a preliminary hearing established that the defendant was driving with a blood alcohol content of .11 percent.
The case was investigated by the California Highway Patrol.
Source: LACDA’s office
