Driver Found Guilty in Fatal Ramona DUI Car Accident
A fatal car crash close to Ramona along state Route 78 was finally investigated, prosecuted, and the El Cajon man who was the suspect was convicted.
The auto accident killed two men and injured a woman, and left the El Cajon man clear of murder charges, but convicted on two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter. Shannon Shimp was found guilty of DUI causing injury as he had been driving with a blood-alcohol level of over .08 percent. Each of these charges had allegations that the suspect inflicted great bodily injury personally, and caused death or injury to three or more victims.
Joseph Edwards, 52, who was the passenger in Shimp's pickup, was killed in the crash, along with Ian Kinney, 19, who had been driving a Lexus that was involved in the fatal Ramona car accident. Kinney's girlfriend was also injured.
A test conducted on Shimp nearly two hours following the traffic collision found that his blood-alcohol level to be .19 percent, more than twice the legal limit. Witnesses to the scene testified that Shimp had been driving eastbound when he tried to pass vehicles on the road, but instead lost control and collided with the Lexus, which became pinned under the pickup. Edwards, of Ramona, and Kinney, of Julian, both perished at the scene. Kinney's passenger and girlfriend, Tessa Medearis of Vista had to be cut from the sedan and was hospitalized. Shimp only suffered minor injuries from the fiery wreck.
Monte Bennett, the Deputy District Attorney of the area reported that the defendant Shimp is looking at about 17 years in prison once sentenced by Judge Herbert Exarhos on the following hearing on January 8.
If you or a loved one has ever been injured or killed in a Ramona drunk driving car accident, contact San Diego, CA DUI auto accident lawyer Ross Jurewitz and the San Diego, CA personal injury attorneys of the Jurewitz Law Group at (619) 233-5020. You may also contact these San Diego injury lawyers online here.
You may also order our free California injury book, The 10 Biggest Mistakes that can Destroy Your California Accident Case, which is full of free information.
