Man Convicted in Crash That Killed CHP Officer
A former Marine was convicted Thursday of two felony counts for a crash on Interstate 5 near Carlsbad that killed a California Patrol Highway officer.
A Superior Court jury convicted Christopher Merrick, 22, of felony hit-and-run and gross vehicular manslaughter in the Oct. 28, 2000, death of Officer Sean Nava. But the jury acquitted Merrick of second-degree murder.
Prosecutors alleged that Merrick was drunk from a night of partying when his car struck Nava, who was standing near the median. Merrick faces up to 15 years in prison.
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