Ex Central High basketball coach, who killed 7-year-old boy in DUI crash, out of prison
Loren LeBeau, the former Central Unified basketball coach who killed a 7-year-old boy in 2012 while driving drunk, has been released from prison after serving seven years.
The 47-year-old LeBeau got out of the California Correctional Institution in Tehachipi on March, 26 and has temporarily resettled in Visalia, said his lawyer Roger Nuttall.
Although LeBeau was sentenced to 12 years in prison for causing the death of Donovan Maldonado, he was able to shave time off his total sentence by earning credits, including for good behavior, attending educational classes and serving in fire camp, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
He will be on parole for three years.
How LeBeau went from successful coach to prison inmate happened in the early evening hours of July 25, 2012. That night, Donovan and his family — father Jesse and younger sister Bella — were riding their bikes in northeast Fresno.
As they entered the pedestrian and bike crosswalk on Shepherd Avenue between Millbrook and Perrin avenues, LeBeau’s car slammed into the family.
Donovan’s body was dragged about 800 feet, police said. The boy’s father and sister also suffered serious injuries.
LeBleau fled the scene and then later returned. When police interviewed him they could smell alcohol on his breath. Toxicology tests showed his blood alcohol concentration was 0.11. The legal limit is 0.08.
LeBeau pleaded no contest to gross vehicular manslaughter, hit-and-run causing death and injuries, and drunken driving. In court, he apologized to the Maldonado’s for taking their son’s life.
The Maldonado family could not be reached for comment Thursday
Nuttall said LeBeau is trying to put his life back together and move forward. As part of that, he has also withdrawn his bid for a new trial.
Nuttall tried talking him out of withdrawing his bid for a new trial, saying evidence introduced at a civil trial brought by the victim’s family against the city and LeBeau could have potentially exonerated him.
The family’s attorney, Warren Paboojian hired an accident reconstruction expert that showed the crosswalk where the crash took place was badly configured and created a dangerous situation.
“Even though there was a chance he could have been acquitted of all charges, he didn’t want to put the victim’s family through a new trial,” Nuttall. “He’s served his time.”
