CASE OF INTEREST

Date:       September 27, 2004

Case:       People v. Eric J. Havens

Contact:    Ross Huggins, Preliminary Hearings, Telephone: 874-6789

District Attorney Jan Scully announced today that 32 year-old Eric J. Havens of Citrus Heights pled no-contest to three felonies, Penal Code section 192(c)(3) vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, Vehicle Code section 23153(a) driving under the influence, and Vehicle Code section 20001 hit-and-run, for an incident that occurred on August 7, 2004.

On August 7, 2004, at approximately 1:00 a.m. the defendant Eric Havens was driving under the influence on Greenback Lane near Fair Oaks Blvd. The defendant who had been drinking was weaving and speeding when he hit and killed a pedestrian, 24 year-old George William Spiegel III. The defendant did not stop for the collision. Witnesses who observed the accident gave a description of the vehicle to the California Highway Patrol. The CHP was able to locate the defendant and his vehicle the next day.

The defendant pled to all charges against him at this time without any promises from the District Attorney’s office or the Court. The defendant is scheduled for sentencing on October 25, 2004, at 8:30 a.m. in Department 4 of the Superior Court before the Honorable Judge Gerald Bakarich. The defendant faces a maximum term of 5 years in state prison.

Deputy District Attorney Ross Huggins who prosecuted the case said, “The District Attorney’s office did not offer any plea-bargain to the defendant other than to plead to all the charges and face the maximum at sentencing.”