A 31-year-old Indian man has been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated after he ran over and killed a woman and then fled the scene. Fresno County man Sunil appeared in the court on Friday on multiple felony charges in connection with the crash that took place earlier this week.
“You know when you get in a car and you’re under the influence, you’re in a deadly weapon, and that’s what he’s charged with here,” Capozzi said. Sunil was then arrested at a residence on Williamette Avenue near Washington Union High School.
Officers initially responded early Wednesday morning to reports of a traffic collision in Easton, according to the California Highway Patrol. Investigators said Sunil told officers he had struck a parked vehicle hours earlier. Capozzi said the alleged decision to flee could significantly increase any potential sentence if Sunil is convicted. It adds four to five years on your sentence on top of any other sentence you get for the vehicular manslaughter,” Capozzi said.
Authorities became suspicious when the damage to his vehicle did not match the crash he described. After additional questioning, CHP officials say Sunil admitted he had struck a pedestrian and left the scene. “That’s a major violation of the law.