A driver from Orange County, who admitted to killing a pregnant woman in a drug-induced accident in 2020, has been sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. Courtney Fritz Pandolfi, 44, was already a multiple-time offender for driving under the influence (DUI) when she drove heavily drugged, including on cocaine and methamphetamine, and tragically struck 23-year-old Yesenia Aguilar.
At the time of the incident, Aguilar was eight months pregnant and enjoying a walk with her husband in Anaheim. Pandolfi lost control of her Jeep SUV, hit a metal newspaper stand, then hit Aguilar before her vehicle finally became disabled after covering an additional 347 feet.
The couple’s baby, Adalyn Rose, was successfully delivered through an emergency C-section. In a statement, Orange County’s District Attorney, Todd Spitzer, praised the newborn’s courage to survive and highlighted how her mother’s ultimate act to save her unborn child would forever be remembered.
Previous to this fatal incident, Pandolfi had been convicted of DUIs in 2008, 2015, and 2016 and had been given statutory warnings for potential murder charges if any death occurred due to her DUI. However, in February, Pandolfi pleaded guilty to several charges, including murder and causing bodily injury while under the influence.
Commenting on the sentencing, James Alvarez, Aguilar’s widower, expressed relief on social media that justice had been served, though he felt the punishment was insufficient. He pledged to commit his life to doing good and representing those who had lost loved ones due to someone else’s selfish acts.
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