Man Enters No-Contest Plea in Fatal Accident
A man who lost control of his car Oct. 17 and plowed into a group of children eating ice cream on a Highland Park street corner pleaded no contest Monday to vehicular manslaughter, fraudulent insurance and five counts of reckless driving with bodily injury.
Matthew Ruiz, 6, died when Hollywood resident Gambino Nunez Avila swerved off the road and bounced over a curb at Figueroa Street and Crestwood Way. Four other children were injured, including Matthew’s sister, Kimberly Cortes, 3.
Avila, 20, was speeding on Figueroa in a car with failing brakes the night of the accident, said Deputy City Atty. Michael D. Schwartz. Sentencing is scheduled Jan. 26.
“He’s now finally taking responsibility for what he did, and that’s all my family ever wanted,” said Matthew’s mother, Gloria Estrada. “But no matter how much time he does, it won’t be enough for me.”
The accident sparked outrage among residents, who have long asked the city to install safety measures on the busy, winding road. After Matthew’s death, the city Department of Transportation promised to install a left-turn lane and yellow school zones signs in the area.
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