Napa Motorist Denied Parole In Crash That Killed A Father, Son: DA

NAPA COUNTY, CA — Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley on Tuesday announced the recent denial of parole for Eligio Ruiz Ortiz who is serving two concurrent sentences of 15 years to life in state prison for killing a New Zealand father and son, while the two were on vacation in the Napa Valley.

Ortiz, now 56 years old, was convicted in 2001 of two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the Sept. 29, 2000, wreck that took the lives of Anthony Pilton, 39, and his 9-year-old son, Adam Pilton.

The California Board of Parole Hearings denied Ortiz parole for three years after a hearing that took place Jan. 10 at California State Prison, Chuckawalla Valley.

According to the DA's Office, Ortiz was driving a flatbed truck the day of the crash as he chased his estranged wife's car. As he followed her car northbound on Highway 29, near St. Helena, he crossed over the double-yellow line to pass a car in front of him and collided head-on with the victims' car which was traveling south on the highway.

The collision instantly killed the father and son and severely injured Anthony’s wife Nicole Pilton; their youngest 6-year-old son was also injured in the crash.

The DA's Office said Ortiz’s lengthy criminal history showed a pattern of bad driving with prior DUI convictions, along with several traffic violations. At the time of the collision, Ortiz was on probation for domestic violence.

For the recent parole hearing —as with every other parole hearing for a defendant serving a life sentence for a Napa crime — the Napa County District Attorney's Office sent a representative. Napa County Deputy District Attorney Agnes Dziadur appeared at the hearing to argue against Ortiz’s release, noting his lack of insight into his criminality and lack of remorse and understanding of his crimes.

"Mr. Ortiz’s crime was a senseless and unfathomable tragedy," Deputy District Attorney Agnes Dziadur said. "While we acknowledge the potential for redemption and rehabilitation, the heinous nature of this offense, coupled with his lack of insight, understanding, and accountability for the domestic violence that ultimately led to this crime, and the irreparable loss he caused to the victims and their family, made the denial of parole the appropriate and just result."