SANTA ANA -- A drunken driver from Chino Hills has been sentenced to 31 years in state prison for killing an 18-year-old woman last year in a traffic collision.
Robert Charles Serrano, 37, left a Santa Ana bar at about 2 a.m. on Jan. 3, 2010 and within minutes hit a car stopped at a red light, according to a news release from the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
Corban White, a passenger in the car Serrano struck, died the next day from head injuries suffered in the crash, the news release said.
Serrano pleaded guilty in February to vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. He also admitted to several "special allegations" that lengthened his sentence, according to the news release.
Serrano was sentenced Friday in Santa Ana Superior Court.
Several of White's family members spoke in court during Serrano's sentencing, and said the young woman was "vibrant and loving, and always made herself available to help her friends," the news release said.
"They described the complete devastation caused by her loss and the trauma of watching her die in the hospital the day after the crash," the news release said.
Serrano and a friend were drinking before the crash at Jasper's bar at West MacArthur Boulevard and South Bristol Street.
When they left the bar, Serrano drove west on MacArthur for about a mile before causing the traffic accident at MacArthur and South Main Street.
Serrano's BMW first struck a Scion from behind in which White was a passenger, the news release said.
Serrano's vehicle continued into the intersection and hit a car making a left turn. Another car making a left turn was unable to avoid the collision and also crashed, the news release said.
Serrano fled the scene on foot and was arrested about 10 hours later at his mother's home in Fountain Valley, according to the news release.
Because he fled, authorities were unable to measure his blood-alcohol level at the time of the collision. Authorities determined he was drunk based on statements from his passenger and employees at the bar where he was drinking, according to the news release.
Serrano has a prior conviction for robbery as well as multiple prior DUIs, according to the news release.