Fresno County woman who used meth, killed elderly couple in DUI crash sentenced to prison
Silvia Gonzales, 42, of Tranquility was sentenced to eight years in prison Thursday for driving while intoxicated and killing an elderly couple in a fiery crash in west Fresno County.
Gonzales broke down and cried in court as she apologized for causing the deaths of Nicholas Flocchini, 79, and Janie Flocchini, 75, also of Tranquility. They died on Nov. 6, 2019.
“Not a day goes by when I don’t think about them,” Gonzales said. “I pray every evening that they rest in peace.”
California High Patrol investigators said Gonzales was driving a Honda CRV southbound on Colorado Avenue, near Sumner Avenue, at about 3 p.m. when she slammed into the rear of the Fiocchinis’ Mercedes-Benz.
The impact of the crash launched the Fiocchinis’ car into the northbound lane and into the path of a pickup, driven by Ivonne Villialpando, 38, of Tranquillity, who had a 1-year-old baby in the vehicle. They suffered minor to moderate injuries and were treated at Community Regional Medical Center.
The Mercedes exploded in flames, trapping the Flocchinis inside their vehicle. They died at the scene.
Prosecutor Stephen Ueltzen said in court that Gonzales admitted to police that she had smoked marijuana and methamphetamine the day of the crash.
Gonzales told Judge Michael Idiart she has struggled with drug addiction since she was 15.
“I started using various types of drugs to handle social and emotional stress,” she said. “And consequently drugs were readily available to me. And on Nov. 6, 2019 I was under tremendous stress and used methamphetamine and marijuana to relieve the pain.”
In requesting leniency, Gonzales’s attorney Scott Baly said his client admitted to the crimes, pleading guilty to two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, one count of driving under the influence of a drug and no contest to possession of less than one ounce of marijuana.
“It is sometimes troubling that every case like this has to result in a prison commitment,” Baly said. “I wish people like Mrs. Gonzales should be considered for probation. She is aware of her actions and early on acknowledged her culpability.”
Baly went on to quote a song from Fred Rogers, host of the children’s show Mister Rogers Neighborhood.
“The very same people who do bad sometimes are the very same people who do good sometimes,” Baly said.
Judge Idiart denied probation and sentenced Gonzales to the eight years. Had she not agreed to plead guilty, she was facing a maximum prison term of 13 years.
Idiart said he took into consideration Gonzales’s lack of a criminal history in sentencing her. But he also reminded her she made a horrible choice that day.
“I can understand medicating yourself with drugs,” the judge said. “But you just can’t get behind the wheel because things like this can happen and when they do, it is time to pay the piper.”
