A jury found a Daly City man guilty of vehicular manslaughter while driving under the influence of methamphetamine in a Redwood City courtroom on Thursday.
Christopher Robert Dancel, 39, crashed into a pedestrian walking in a marked crosswalk at the intersection of Mission and Goethe streets in Daly City on May 24, 2013, according to San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.
Dancel was driving behind a van that stopped to allow the victim to cross, but Dancel pulled around the van and drove through the intersection at 30 to 35 mph without braking, Wagstaffe said.
The victim suffered major brain trauma and died on June 15 after spending weeks in a coma, Wagstaffe said.
Dancel remained at the scene after the crash, and a police officer saw him trying to a hide a baggie with meth in a planter box, Wagstaffe said. Police also found small amounts of meth in Dancel’s car.
The jury found Dancel guilty of vehicular manslaughter under the influence of drugs, felony drunk driving causing injury and felony transportation and possession of drugs for sale, Wagstaffe said.
This conviction is Dancel’s second strike under California’s Three Strikes law; he was previously convicted of felony drug sales.
Dancel returns to court on Oct. 16 for sentencing; he faces up to 23 years in prison, Wagstaffe said.
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