In a statement dated July 27, the Sonoma County District Attorney’s office announced that Josimar Ortiz-Ortiz, 29, from Windsor, was sentenced on Monday, July 26 by the Honorable Peter Ottenweller to serve 15 years to life in state prison. The sentence comes after his June 28 conviction for second-degree murder for driving while intoxicated, crossing over the double yellow lines on Old Redwood Highway, and killing 60-year-old Jose Beltran.
On Oct. 30, 2018 Ortiz-Ortiz drank about eight beers on his way home from work. By the time he was heading south on Old Redwood Highway towards Windsor his blood alcohol content was .23 (the legal limit in California is 0.08). As he drove, Ortiz-Ortiz wove in his lane and crossed the double yellow lines twice before crashing into Beltran, who was driving north to Healdsburg.
The crash was so violent that both cars spun out and landed in a ditch about 230 feet apart. After Beltran’s car smashed into a pole on the driver’s side he was trapped and had to be removed by fire personnel. He died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
Ortiz-Ortiz was previously convicted of driving under the influence in 2015. He was advised by the court at that time that if he continued to drink and drive, and killed someone, he could be charged with murder. Ortiz-Ortiz also attended the mandated drunk driving program where he learned about the dangers of drinking and driving.
“Once again, another tragic and senseless loss of life at the hands of an impaired driver. There is no excuse for driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances,” District Attorney Jill Ravich said in a statement. “If you drive impaired and kill someone it is an inherently dangerous act and you may be convicted of murder.”
According to the statement, the case was investigated by the California Highway Patrol and prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Marianna Green.
