Driver sentenced for deadly July 4th crash that killed 2 as judge issues warning

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- With a packed courtroom watching connected Thursday, William Reyes Lozano -- a operator turned slayer -- heard from his victims' loved ones directly.

"We privation you to cognize this: You did not conscionable instrumentality a life. You broke an full family," Arba Phillips told the suspect successful court.

Phillips had to hide her daughter, Renee. She and her boyfriend, Mike Connors, were driving location from July 4th fireworks 2 years agone connected a motorcycle erstwhile Lozano crashed into them successful Fresno.

"While the full state volition beryllium celebrating, we are remembering and mourning this devastating nonaccomplishment successful 2023," Renee's step-mother, Tracey Kennedy, said.

The clang happened adjacent Chestnut and Clinton, wherever investigators accidental Lozano was driving portion high, estimating his velocity betwixt 76 and 84 miles per hour.

"He was going truthful fast, helium didn't cognize helium deed idiosyncratic connected a motorcycle," authoritative Steven Ueltzen said. "He told the officers helium thought helium deed idiosyncratic who was walking their motorcycle crossed the street."

Prosecutors accidental it was the 2nd clip successful 10 days that Lozano drove portion high, charging him with 2 counts of vehicular manslaughter and respective different crimes.

Lozano archetypal pleaded not blameworthy and denied each charges for much than 2 years. In August, helium changed his plea to nary contest, and then, connected Thursday, offered a afloat apology successful court.

"I instrumentality afloat work successful knowing that I person caused you specified pain," Lozano said. "I americium everlastingly changed by that infinitesimal successful clip and genuinely privation that I could alteration the outcome."

Fresno County Superior Court Judge Jonathan Conklin called Lozano's actions "inexcusable" and issued a stern informing arsenic helium heads to situation for 10 years.

"I'm telling you close present that if you get down the instrumentality of a conveyance for the remainder of your life, nether the power of intoxicant oregon immoderate drugs, you are doing truthful specifically intending to kill," Judge Conklin said.

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