A driver from Whittier was recently convicted of murder for causing a fatal three-car accident in Cypress on Easter Sunday in 2017. This incident resulted in the death of a young woman from La Mirada.
A jury at the Orange County Superior Court found Nicholas Sanchez-McCormick guilty of second-degree murder and two DUI-related felony charges. The crash occurred at Katella Avenue and Valley View Street at 12:40 a.m. on April 16, 2017, and claimed the life of Alexis Barragan, who was only 22 years old at the time.
Sanchez-McCormick was driving Alexis Barragan home in a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Classic sedan after a trip to Huntington Beach, when he ran a red light and collided with a Ford Fusion and a Chevrolet Silverado. Alexis Barragan passed away at the scene, while occupants of the other vehicles sustained injuries.
Following the accident, Sanchez-McCormick’s blood-alcohol content was measured at 0.17 percent, more than double the legal limit for driving. Prosecutors also presented data from Sanchez-McCormick’s vehicle, which indicated that he was traveling at 50 mph in a 45-mph zone without applying brakes.
Prior to the fatal crash, Sanchez-McCormick had already been involved in another DUI-related incident on January 1, 2017. During this incident, which took place in Los Angeles County, he was pulled over by a deputy and given a warning known as a Watson Advisement. The advisory informed him that if his intoxicated actions caused a fatal collision, he could be charged with murder.
Additionally, Sanchez-McCormick had been stopped by a La Habra police sergeant for speeding, running a stop sign, and running a red light prior to the crash. The outcome of these two cases remains unclear.
Prosecutors revealed that just 13 hours prior to the accident, Sanchez-McCormick had attended a DUI class.
In their closing argument, Deputy Public Defender Terri Lynn Tauro, Sanchez-McCormick’s attorney, explained to the jury in a Santa Ana courtroom that her client had “nodded off” due to lack of sleep before the crash. Tauro highlighted that Sanchez-McCormick had managed to drive for over 30 minutes and successfully navigated numerous traffic signals, stop signs, and intersections before the tragedy occurred.
“It wasn’t homicide, it was an accident,” Tauro asserted.
The defense attorney acknowledged that Sanchez-McCormick was under the influence of alcohol but questioned the accuracy of the blood-alcohol test results. She also raised doubts about whether the arresting deputy had actually given Sanchez-McCormick the Watson Advisement, since it was not mentioned in the initial police report.
Prosecutor Devin Campbell countered the defense’s claim, stating that there was no evidence to support the assertion that Sanchez-McCormick had fallen asleep. Campbell pointed out that after the crash, Sanchez-McCormick told investigators that he believed he had a green light. The prosecutor also informed the jury that based on the blood-alcohol level, Sanchez-McCormick had consumed at least eight or nine drinks.
As of Friday, Sanchez-McCormick remains in custody. A date for his sentencing has yet to be determined, according to court records.
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