Guilty Plea in Fatal Drunk-Driving Case

Rather than face a retrial, a Santa Ana man on Monday pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder and other charges in connection with a drunk-driving crash that killed a 14-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy.

A jury had deadlocked on the murder charges against 28-year-old Fernando Quezada Perez during his first trial, but had convicted him of felony hit-and-run.

A second trial was scheduled to begin this week in Orange County Superior Court.

“We were prepared to retry the case but he pleaded guilty,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Claudia Silbar. “It’s always surprising when someone pleads guilty to a life sentence.”

On April 6, 1996, Perez’s car collided with one being driven by 14-year-old Sonia Ruiz. The underage driver had taken her friend, Elina Quiroga, also 14, and the friend’s 4-year-old brother, Ruben, for a ride around the block. She collided with the car being driven by Perez at Flower Street and Wilshire Avenue.

Sonia and Ruben died of their injuries. Elina suffered minor injuries.

Perez, who tried to flee the scene but was caught, was driving with a suspended license. He told police he was on his way to buy beer when the crash occurred. His blood-alcohol level was .20%, more than twice the legal limit of .08%, according to police.

“He was aware of the danger of his conduct when he got into that vehicle that evening, speeding in a residential neighborhood,” Silbar said. “He was actually enrolled in a drunk-driving program at the time.”

Superior Court Judge Richard F. Toohey told Perez, who had three previous drunk-driving convictions, that he faced 15 years to life in prison when he is sentenced in February, the prosecutor said.

Perez’s attorney, James H. Cesena, could not be reached for comment Monday.