An Oxnard man has been sentenced to a four-year prison stint for the fatal DUI crash that claimed the life of a pedestrian, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced. Luis Armando Ayala, 23, had already admitted guilt to one felony count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, as well as a misdemeanor for driving without a license, and faced additional scrutiny for fleeing the scene after striking John Sherman Winter.
According to official documents, the tragic incident occurred on July 17, 2022, when Ayala, seen speeding and swerving down Rose Avenue in Oxnard at about 3:30 a.m., hit Winter who was seated on the curb. Having fled the collision site, a witness reported Ayala's reckless behavior moments before the crash.
Oxnard Police subsequently found Ayala and his damaged vehicle not far from where the accident took place. A hospital report revealed his blood alcohol concentration measured .13 percent, a significant amount over the legal limit, nearly two hours post-crash.
“If you choose to get behind the wheel while impaired, you will be held accountable for your actions,” Deputy District Attorney Kelsey Einhorn, who prosecuted the case, asserted. In her words, as obtained by the District Attorney's press release, “No sentence will ever bring John back to his friends and family, but we hope this case sends a strong message, that senseless DUI-related deaths are unacceptable."
