Man sentenced for 2021 crash in Atwater that killed two people

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- "Justice for Pam & Joe" has been a connection crossed the North Valley for 4 and a fractional years, coming to an extremity connected Monday arsenic the antheral who killed the mates was sentenced.

"We yet got a small spot of justness and closure today. It's been a agelong time," the couple's daughter, Gabriela Juarez, stated.

Family and friends of Pam & Joe Juarez person been successful mourning and warring for justness since June of 2021, erstwhile past 20-year-old King Vanga slammed into the backmost of the couple's car and took their lives.

"I ne'er could've imagined losing my parents successful this way. I ever imagined that they'd turn old," the couple's lad Sergio Juarez said done tears. "This has been truthful heartbreaking due to the fact that we didn't adjacent get a accidental to accidental goodbye."

Authorities accidental Vanga was going betwixt 130-150 mph erstwhile helium deed the couple's car successful Atwater, sidesplitting them conscionable minutes distant from their son's home.

"June 25, 2021, was the worst nighttime of my life," the couple's son, Javier Juarez, said to the court.

Tears and sniffles took implicit this Merced County courtroom Monday arsenic the close-knit Juarez household remembered the mates who had been joined for 38 years.

"My parents had truthful overmuch beingness to live, truthful galore much memories to beryllium made and they looked guardant to gathering my past unborn lad who conscionable turned four-years-old," Javier said successful tears.

Vanga sat successful a suit, taking notes, utilizing a cane to get up and code the household of his victims.

"I americium genuinely very, precise atrocious for my driving that nighttime that resulted successful the tragic deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Juarez," Vanga said to the Juarez family.

While Vanga took afloat responsibility, the justice pointed to Vanga's actions aft the crash, including a defamation suit against the victims' family, which helium lost.

"These statements and decisions made by the suspect exemplify a deficiency of aboriginal acceptance of responsibility," Merced County Superior Court Judge Brian McCabe explained.

Vanga was past sentenced to 5 years and 4 months down bars and taken into custody.

The Juarez household yet feels they got justness for Pam and Joe.

The household is grateful to yet consciousness closure connected this years-long case.

However, they accidental Vanga is inactive actively pursuing a civilian suit against immoderate of them for statements they made aft the crash.

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