Crime & Safety

San Juan Woman Gets 6 Years for Fatal Bicycle Crash

Michelle Nicole Stearns, 30, pleaded guilty earlier this year to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. In court, she apologizes to family of man she killed. She also formed a nonprofit to drive impaired motorists home.

A 30-year-old San Juan Capistrano woman was sentenced to six years in state prison today for running her car off the road in Dana Point and killing a bicyclist

In March, Michelle Nicole Stearns pleaded guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated for the October 2007 incident.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Craig Robison could have granted Stearns probation or sentenced her up to 10 years. Robison said he struck a middle ground because she had no criminal history and family and friends wrote letters to the judge on her behalf.

Find out what's happening in San Juan Capistranowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I do believe her expressions of remorse are genuine,'' Robison said.

Stearns formed a nonprofit organization called Safe Cruz that
provides rides home for impaired drivers, Deputy District Attorney Nancy Hayashida said.

Find out what's happening in San Juan Capistranowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Not a second goes by that I'm not in agony over this,'' Stearns told
the judge. "I would do anything to make this not real ... That's the torture. I can't change this.''

Stearns was driving her BMW north on Del Obispo Street near Quail Run at 2 a.m. when she lost control of the car, jumped the curb, hit a traffic sign and crashed into Jose Umberto Barranco-Patino, 32, as he pedaled home from his job as a busboy, prosecutors said.

She also hit a utility box, triggering a power outage in the area for about 600 customers. Stearns' blood-alcohol level was almost three times the legal limit, according to prosecutors. Barranco-Patino was pronounced dead at the scene.

"I am so sorry,'' she tearfully said in court.

Barranco-Patino's brother, Cesar Barranco, and his wife, Martha Pliego, said after the hearing they were satisfied with the sentence. With help from a translator, they told reporters the victim was a "great father'' who was happy and concerned with his family's welfare.

Barranco-Patino was married and had a son and daughter, who are now 14 and 12 years old, respectively. He worked at a local Denny's restaurant.

The defendant's attorney argued for probation, telling the judge the engine light on his client's car came on and distracted her just before she lost control of the vehicle.

Defense attorney Michael Eric Kraut also said Stearns has an 18-month-old daughter who will suffer without her mother. The child is being cared for by her father, he said. Robison said he would recommend to the Department of Corrections that Stearns be placed in a prison nearby, such as Corona or Barstow.

Stearns made an open plea, meaning there were no guarantees from prosecutors or the judge on what her punishment would be.

-- City News Service


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.