DUI driver who killed a jogger sentenced to one year in jail

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 14HF1716

Date: February 11, 2015

DRUNKEN DRIVER SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR IN JAIL FOR KILLING JOGGER AFTER SWERVING INTO BIKE LANE

SANTA ANA – A drunken driver was sentenced yesterday to one year in jail and five years of formal probation for killing a jogger after swerving into the bike lane and hitting the victim. Robert John Greaney, 23, Costa Mesa, pleaded guilty to the court to one felony count each of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated without gross negligence, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs with injury, and an infraction for possession of less than one ounce of marijuana by a driver with sentencing enhancement allegations for inflicting great bodily harm. The People objected to the court offer, stating that the defendant deserved a state prison sentence based on Greaney’s blood alcohol content being at .15 percent at the time of the collision and that he also had two other intoxicating substances in his system.

At approximately 9:28 p.m. on June 12, 2014, Greaney was driving a Ford F-150 truck while intoxicated and traveling westbound on Pacific Coast Highway, west of Morning Canyon Drive in Newport Beach.

Greaney swerved his truck into the bike lane where 81-year-old victim Edward Salkin was jogging. The defendant crashed into the victim and killed him as a result of the impact.

The Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) arrived at the scene and conducted a DUI evaluation. Once contacted by NBPD officers, the defendant displayed objective signs of intoxication including an impaired balance, slurred speech, and was emanating a strong smell of alcohol. Greaney had a blood alcohol level of .15 percent at the time of the collision. Approximately two hours after the crash, the defendant had a blood alcohol level of .12 percent as well as significant levels of Xanax and marijuana in his system.

NBPD investigated this case.

Deputy District Attorney Stephen Cornwell of the Homicide Unit prosecuted this case.

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TONY RACKAUCKAS, District Attorney

Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff
Office: 714-347-8408
Cell: 714-292-2718