20-year-old Donald Farmer has been sentenced to 8 years in prison after driving under the influence of drugs at a dangerous speed last year.
Farmer was 19 years old at the time of the accident and was under the influence of marijuana and Xanax at the time of the accident. He was traveling at a high speed before colliding with a vehicle on Poway Road.
The accident killed 54-year-old Stephen Pirolli and his 13-year-old son Stephen Pirolli Jr. The after was pronounced deceased at the scene and his son died at a nearby hospital.
At the time, Farmer had a learner’s permit, but not a driver’s license. Earlier this year, he plead guilty to driving without a license and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
The district attorney sought a 12-year sentence and stated that a longer sentence was warranted because of his knowledge of the effects of the drugs. The prosecutor stated that Farmer mentioned he took the Xanax in hopes that it would not kick in until he got to his destination.
Farmer’s attorney was seeking a 4-year sentence. His attorney stated that the childhood trauma he has suffered requires the court to impose a lower sentence.
However, Farmer was sentenced to 8 years due to his actions that occurred after the fatal accident.
Farmer asked a witness to remove drugs from his vehicle and he also lied to responding officers about how fast he was driving. He also lied about how the crash took place, stating that Pirolli was in his lane and U-turned right in front of him.
Have you been injured in an accident?
If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident, the Accident Injury Legal Center can evaluate your case and get you in contact with an attorney. It is important to find the right legal representation when you are involved in a personal injury claim.
Call the Accident Injury Legal Center at 1-866-255-4870 to get your case evaluated for free.
Resource
City News Service. (2022, July 20). Driver sentenced to 8 years in prison for Poway DUI crash that killed father and son. Pomerado News. Retrieved July 21, 2022, from https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/pomerado-news/news/story/2022-07-20/driver-sentenced-to-8-years-in-prison-for-dui-crash-that-killed-poway-father-son