Hit-and-Run Driver Found Guilty in Orange County Court
The driver responsible for a hit-and-run accident that resulted in serious injuries to its victims has been found guilty by an Orange County jury.
Oscar Paz, a 32-year-old resident of Huntington Beach, was convicted Thursday at the North Justice Center in Fullerton, CA on one count of hit-and-run with serious injury. The charge stemmed from a crash on December 11th.
In the early-morning accident that lead to the conviction, Paz was driving at high speeds on the 22 freeway when he slammed into the back of a car driven by a 66-year-old driver, pushing him across the road and into the center divider.
The 66-year-old victim of the crash suffered serious brain and spinal injuries as a result of the crash. According to prosecutors, the victim still cannot talk or walk, and is in near continual pain as a result of his injuries.
Instead of assisting the man he rear ended after the wreck, Paz exited the freeway, ditched his car in a nearby strip mall and fled the scene on foot. He was only found when he turned himself in to the California Highway Patrol’s Westminster office two days later.
According to police, Paz was driving with a suspended license at the time of the accident due to his failure to appear in court for a speeding ticket. After being convicted, he is scheduled for sentencing on September 21.
The maximum sentience for one count of hit-and-run with serious injury is four years in state prison. It is unclear if there are civil charges pending.
The Orange County car accident injury lawyers at Russell & Lazarus offer our deepest sympathies to the victim in this tragic accident, and wish him a full recovery.
Read More About Hit-and-Run Driver Found Guilty in Orange County Court…