A young guy who caused a wreck on a beach in Southern California that left two of his pals dead and two others seriously injured will spend the next several decades behind prison.
A jury in San Diego County found 21-year-old Christopher Ray Schmittel guilty in June of two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and one count each of driving on the wrong side of the highway and driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs or alcohol that results in injury.
After two and a half days of deliberations, the jury—consisting of seven men and five women—made their decision.
Jurors were offered the choice to find Schmittel guilty on only the lesser counts of manslaughter, but they ultimately decided to convict him on all counts.
But on Friday, he received a harsh sentence for the murder and DUI-related harm charges. The judge sentenced the defendant to 32 years in jail, with 15 years serving each of the murder counts consecutively, or one after the other. Two further years were added to account for the nonfatal injuries sustained in the collision.
On April 25, 2022, Schmittel was driving a 2020 Subaru WRX when he was shot down.
The now-convicted guy began his journey on the Ortega Highway, an undulating length of California State Route 74 in Riverside County that runs east-west. He then veered south on U.S. Interstate 5. The vehicle quickly proceeded through Orange County before entering San Diego County.
The small automobile reached speeds of about 140 mph during the crazy ride, all while Schmittel was inebriated from booze and high on Xanax, marijuana, and finally mushrooms.
That evening, just before 11 p.m., the Subaru broke through a metal guard rail at Torrey Pines State Beach in San Diego, traveling at a speed of about 120 mph. Johnny Punzalan, also 19, and Joshua Manzanares, 19, were thrown from the vehicle.
At the site, they passed away. Despite suffering severe injuries, Schmittel and the other two passengers managed to survive.
An officer testified during the trial that the vehicle went around 50 yards from the highway and fell between 20 and 25 feet onto the beach below before turning over.
“You clearly didn’t care to risk the lives of people you considered to be your friends,” one of Manzanares’ sisters remarked to the accused. “They trusted you and you failed them.”
One of the Manzanares sisters addressed her brother directly and lent her words to the idea of an eternal spirit. “Your presence is very missed,” she reportedly stated. You wanted to explore the globe, I know that. You can go anyplace now.
Punzalan’s brother was a twin. He talked about how painful it was to wake up and never see his brother in the bedroom they had shared for nineteen years.
The defense used the defendant’s age and lack of a prior criminal record in their appeal for the judge to impose punishment only on the basis of the manslaughter convictions. However, the state requested a severe punishment because Schmittel drove carelessly and drunk for hours prior to the fatal occurrence, which put an end to the risky celebrations.
Multiple smartphone footage from the disputed night were revealed throughout the trial, according to a news outlet. The speedometer was seen on the videos.
To avoid slowing down, the automobile frequently swerved into oncoming traffic. Schmittel once removed one hand from the steering wheel and gestured through the sunroof.
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Judge Lisa Rodriguez of the San Diego Superior Court ruled in favor of the state and denied the defense’s requests for mercy, citing the defendant’s extremely reckless driving and the ensuing disrespect for human life as proof.
Schmittel added his own apology in response.
“I know my words probably don’t mean much to you guys, but I’m very sorry,” he stated. “I know I can’t compare to the loss that you guys suffered, but I do suffer the loss of my friends too. I know I shouldn’t have been doing the things I was doing when it happened and I really do think about that every day.”
