Man found guilty of involuntary manslaughter can now walk free

DEL REY, Calif. (KFSN) -- 56-year-old Rolando Sanchez has been down bars for the decease of Jaime Loza for implicit 2 years, but arsenic of Wednesday, he's a escaped man.

"The lord answered prayers, and helium is being released today," Rolando's sister-in-law, Juanita Sanchez, said successful tears.

Prosecutors accidental Sanchez utilized his car to deed and termination Loza adjacent Carmel and Morro Avenues successful Del Rey successful March of 2023.

In January of 2024, Sanchez rejected a plea deal.

He past went to trial, wherever helium faced a execution complaint for the incident.

After the archetypal proceedings resulted successful a hung jury, the 2nd recovered him blameworthy of involuntary manslaughter.

"The assemblage believed that Mr. Loza jumped connected Mr. Sanchez's vehicle," his defence attorney, Wade Freitas, explained.

"The origin of decease being an accidental driving implicit him arsenic Mr. Sanchez was trying to get distant from what helium perceived arsenic a threat."

Prosecutors claimed Sanchez intended to termination Loza, but the jury's determination says otherwise.

"The assemblage returning a verdict of involuntary manslaughter recovered arsenic defined by the instrumentality that determination was nary malice of forethought, nary circumstantial intent to kill," Fresno County Superior Court Judge Jonathan Conklin explained.

Sanchez appeared adjacent to his lawyer successful tribunal Wednesday, cane successful hand, to perceive his sentence.

"I bid you to service 4 years successful the California Department of Corrections," Judge Conklin said.

Given the clip helium has already served down bars, Sanchez present walks free.

"He volition beryllium with family. We're to enactment him. We emotion him. He has earned our emotion and respect," Juanita said.

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