Garden Grove man gets nine years in prison after a fatal DUI crash

Mario Miguel Hernandez-Lopez, a 40-year-old man from Garden Grove, pleaded guilty on Monday and was immediately sentenced to nine years in prison for an DUI hit-and-run crash on May 8, 2021 that killed a man and injured another victim, in Garden Grove.

Hernandez-Lopez accepted felony charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury and hit-and-run with permanent and serious injury, and two misdemeanor counts of hit-and-run with property damage. Hernandez-Lopez also admitted a sentencing enhancement allegation of fleeing the scene of a vehicular manslaughter.

Hernandez-Lopez got credit for 1,406 days behind bars when he accepted a plea deal from O.C. Superior Court Judge Craig Robison.

Pedro Vergara, a 27-year-old from Garden Grove, was killed in the crash which occurred at Woodbury Road and Libby Lane, near Euclid Street and the 22 Freeway, according to the Garden Grove Police Department.

Hernandez-Lopez was speedking in a white Nissan Titan pickup truck eastbound on Woodbury as it approached Libby and then crashed into the rear of a Toyota Camry, which was stopped at the intersection. The impact pushed the Toyota through the intersection before it collided with two parked cars.

Hernandez-Lopez lost control of the Nissan and then slammed into a retaining wall on the north side of the street. He attempted to flee but was quickly arrested.

Vergara was pronounced dead at the scene and a passenger in his car was treated at UC Irvine Medical Center for minor injuries.