Santa Ana man who ran over and killed a pedestrian sentenced to 15 years to life in prison

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

Case # 14CF3649

Date: March 24, 2017

DRUNKEN SPEEDING DRIVER SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR MURDERING MAN AFTER RUNNING RED LIGHT

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A drunken speeding driver was sentenced today to 15 years to life in state prison for murdering a man after running a red light and crashing into the car the victim was riding in. Herbert Granados Calderon, 26, Santa Ana, pleaded guilty on March 7, 2017, to one felony count of murder. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution.

At approximately 9:00 p.m. on Oct. 25, 2013, Calderon drove southbound at a high rate of speed on Bristol Street in Santa Ana while under the influence of alcohol. The defendant drove through a red light at the Central Avenue intersection and crashed his car into the right rear passenger door of a black Honda Civic which was driving lawfully through the intersection. The victim, 18-year-old Roberto Rubio, was seated in the back seat of the Honda Civic. The force of the collision caused the Honda Civic to rotate clockwise and collide with another vehicle which was lawfully waiting to turn left at the intersection. Rubio died as a result of injuries he sustained during the crash.

Witnesses called 911 and Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) responded to the scene and investigated this case. Calderon was arrested by SAPD on Oct. 25, 2013. At the time of his arrest, the defendant had a .11 blood alcohol content.

At Calderon’s conviction on March 7, 2017, a victim impact statement was delivered to the court on behalf of the victim’s mother, Maria Rubio, pursuant to Marsy’s Law. Mrs. Rubio described how her life and family would never be the same without her son, saying in part, “There are no words to describe my pain, my loss, my grief because only I know how I feel as well as other mothers that have lost a child over senseless driving like yours, Herbert Granados Calderon.”

Senior Deputy District Attorney Mark Birney 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

Michelle Van Der Linden,Spokesperson
Office: 714-347-8405
Cell: 714-323-4486

Art Pedroza Editor

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

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