Repeat DUI Offender Gets Life Sentence In Fatal Napa Valley Crash: DA

NAPA COUNTY, CA — A man who should have been fully aware of the consequences of drunk driving received a life sentence this week in connection with an Oct. 17, 2020, Yountville crash that claimed the life of an 87-year-old man, Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley announced Thursday.

In a hearing Wednesday, Napa County Superior Court Judge Elia Ortiz sentenced repeat DUI offender Mauricio Ramirez Aguilar to 15 years to life in prison for his role in the death of Constantine Tsavalas, a resident of the Veterans Home of California at Yountville.

The sentencing came after a jury trial in May in which Aguilar was found guilty of second-degree murder and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. Judge Ortiz also found Aguilar in violation of DUI probation.

Tsavalas was fatally struck around 3 p.m. Oct. 17, 2020, at the intersection of Highway 29 and Hoffman Lane.

On that day, Aguilar was speeding southbound in a white pickup truck along state Highway 29 when he collided with a Nissan Pathfinder driven by the victim, who was entering the highway from Hoffman Lane.

An investigation determined Aguilar had a blood alcohol content of .204 percent —nearly three times the legal limit of .08 percent— and was going at least 86 mph.

The trial lasted 12 days and Deputy District Attorneys Katie Susemihl and Kayla Richeson were the prosecutors.

Prosecutors Must Prove Implied Malice, A Rare Napa County Occurrence

According to the DA's Office, a second-degree murder charge involving a person who causes death while DUI is a relatively rare occurrence in Napa County. Known as a Watson Murder — after a 1981 California Supreme Court ruling that made it possible for district attorneys in California to charge second-degree murder in certain DUI accidents when someone is killed —the case calls for prosecutors to prove implied malice.

Under the legal concept of implied malice, prosecutors Susemihl and Richeson were required to prove the defendant engaged in an activity he knew was likely to lead to death and did the act regardless of the consequences.

Before the deadly crash, Aguilar had two prior DUI convictions. Both incidents involved car wrecks, and both were discussed during his trial.

In 2008, Aguilar was convicted of DUI driving and hitting a parked car along Kansas Avenue in Napa.

Then, on Jan. 27, 2019, he drove his vehicle into a power pole in front of the California Highway Patrol office on Golden Gate Drive which set the car on fire. Napa firefighters extricated Aguilar from the wreck and a subsequent investigation revealed he was DUI.

While being sentenced for both prior DUIs, Aguilar was given a Watson Admonition, a warning given to a person convicted of DUI. The person is reminded that being under the influence of drugs of alcohol, or both, impairs their driving abilities. The admonition further states it is extremely dangerous to human life to drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or both, and warns the defendant they could be charged with murder if they kill someone while doing so.

"Mr. Aguilar’s actions led to irreparable loss and suffering for the family and friends of Mr. Tsavalas," Susemihl said. "His sentence serves as a solemn acknowledgment of that devastation."

"Our office stands firm in its resolve to hold DUI offenders fully accountable, even for the crime of murder, and safeguard our community from such reckless and tragic behavior," Richeson said..