Rolando Enrique Alvarenga-Aguilar, 48, of Fresno, was sentenced on Wednesday to 15 years to life in state prison for murder, driving under the influence causing injury, and hit and run, following a fatal crash on Oct. 9, 2021.

Judge Geoffrey D. Wilson of the Fresno County Superior Court handed down the sentence after Alvarenga-Aguilar pleaded no contest to the charges on May 14.

The crash resulted in the death of 60-year-old Sabas Ruiz-Galavez and injured another person.

Details of the Event

On the night of the fatal crash, Alvarenga-Aguilar accelerated his van in a parking lot at the intersection of Maple and Belmont avenues in Fresno, striking one person seated at a table and pinning Ruiz-Galavez between his van and a taco truck.

Alvarenga-Aguilar fled the scene but was later apprehended by Fresno police officers in a nearby neighborhood. Investigations revealed his blood alcohol count was .20%, more than twice the legal limit.

Ruiz-Galavez succumbed to his injuries nine days later in the hospital.

Alvarenga-Aguilar, who has a criminal record that includes theft, domestic violence, and two prior DUI convictions in 2018 and 2019, was on probation for a 2019 DUI at the time of the crash.