Fresno County woman pleads guilty for fiery DUI crash that killed elderly couple
A Fresno County woman accused of driving while intoxicated and causing a fiery crash that killed an elderly Tranquillity couple pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of felony vehicular manslaughter.
Silvia Gonzales, 42, also pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of a drug while causing injury. Gonzales, who is also from Tranquillity, will spend a maximum of eight years in prison.
Prior to Monday’s plea, she had faced a maximum of 13 years in prison. She is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 3.
California High Patrol investigators said the crash happened Nov. 6 around 3 p.m. in the intersection of Colorado Road and Sumner Avenue, near Tranquillity in west Fresno County.
Gonzales was driving a Honda CRV southbound on Colorado Avenue when she slammed into the back of a Mercedes containing Nicholas Flocchini, 79, and Janie Flocchini, 75.
The collision caused the Mercedes to go 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 was fully engulfed in flames when CHP officers arrived. The Flocchinis died upon impact, the CHP said.
Scott Baly, Gonzales’s attorney, said his client has experienced great remorse and sadness due to her involvement in the crash.
“She is a mother, a daughter and a person loved by her a friends and family,” Baly said. “She was unable to help after the collision although she remained at the scene and witnessed the resulting fire. She cooperated with law enforcement. She is accepting responsibility for her actions and the likelihood that she will go to prison.”
Prosecutor Steven Ueltzen declined to comment, saying the case is still pending.
