Fresno County Superior Court Judge Brian Alvarez sentenced a 60-year-old Lemoore man with five previous DUIs to life in prison on Thursday after a jury convicted him of second-degree murder.

The sentence followed a trial in December at which the jury deliberated less than 30 minutes before finding Marvin Vance Reese Sr. guilty, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office said.

According to prosecutors, a speeding Reese in a Hummer H2 crossed the center line on southbound Highway 41 and collided head-on with a Hyundai Elantra driven by 36-year-old Derek Balderas of Fresno.

Balderas, a Uber driver, died when his car exploded in flames. He had been returning home after dropping off a fare in Lemoore in the early morning of June 29, 2019.

Reese had a blood alcohol concentration level of 0.13%, according to the California Highway Patrol.

In prosecuting Reese, the DA’s office said that he had been repeatedly warned that a fatal DUI could lead to a murder charge. His previous DUI convictions came in 1994, twice in 2006, 2011, and 2013.

Reese’s Criminal History

Reese’s extensive criminal history shows four prior “strike” convictions, including two robberies, a residential burglary, and criminal threats. He has 18 criminal convictions in California.

Senior deputy DA Steven Ueltzen prosecuted the case with the assistance of senior DA investigator Randall Paulson.