Man sentenced to 15 years to life for 2023 Fresno DUI crash that killed 80-year-old

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- On Thursday afternoon, emotions ran precocious successful a Fresno courtroom earlier and aft Shawn Davari was sentenced to 15 years to life.

Multiple household members of the victim, 80-year-old Joe Castro, shared affectional statements earlier the sentencing took spot this afternoon.

"I went implicit and I said, 'Joe, spot you soon' not realizing that would beryllium the past clip I would spot him alive," Victim's son-in-law Marty Solis said.

On July 4 of 2023, Davari was driving nether the power of intoxicant and ran a halt motion astatine Clinton and Armstrong successful Fresno, crashing into Castro's car.

Castro was taken to the hospital, wherever helium aboriginal died.

Castro's household says the hurt, grief and tribunal hearings person been an affectional toll.

And arsenic they fought backmost tears during their interaction statements, they shared their hard travel and described the benignant of antheral Castro was.

"Tio Joe positively impacted truthful galore lives and made the satellite a amended place," Castro's niece said.

"My papa Joe was ever loved by his nieces and nephews. The Fourth of July vacation volition ne'er beryllium the aforesaid for me," Castro's girl said.

Castro's lad utilized his interaction connection to forgive Davari.

"I can't transportation that hatred oregon animosity, my parents taught maine to beryllium a bully idiosyncratic and bash others what you would privation done to you," Castro's lad Adam said.

Davari besides shared a fewer words successful court, showing remorse and apologizing to Castro's family.

"My determination to portion to and thrust was selfish, and I volition unrecorded with the representation for the remainder of my life," Davari said.

Castro's household hopes their communicative serves arsenic a almighty illustration for different drivers.

"This is conscionable a calamity and this is what could hap erstwhile radical thrust nether the influence, precise dire and tragic," lawyer Tony Capozzi said.

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