The following is a press release issued by the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office:
A jury trial scheduled to get underway next Tuesday was averted when trial defendant Juan Jose Naranjo Rodriguez, age 31, of Ukiah, instead admitted criminal culpability Thursday afternoon and stipulated to a state prison commitment.
While still on a March 2023 court probation for a prior DUI conviction, defendant Naranjo Rodriguez was driving a motor vehicle in March 2024 – this time on a suspended license and again under the influence of alcohol.
The defendant’s blood alcohol was measured in the probation case at .21/.22, and .20/.19 in the current case.
After driving north on State Street and turning east onto Talmage Road, the intoxicated driver claimed he was distracted, a distraction that caused him to mow down the pedestrian.
Without stopping to render aid, Naranjo Rodriguez fled the scene because, as he told the investigators, he didn’t want to get in trouble again.
Good Samaritans did stop and provided assistance to the badly injured woman until the medical professionals could arrive on scene. The witnesses also provided law enforcement with a good description of the hit-and-run vehicle.
The victim suffered broken legs, a broken pelvis, loss of hearing, had her teeth knocked out, and more. Currently wearing leg braces and wheelchair-bound, the victim has undergone multiple surgeries and is still hoping to be able to fully walk again one of these days.
The defendant, still at the wheel of the now-damaged Nissan Versa, was located driving north on Orchard near the Kohl’s department store by the California Highway Patrol. He was eventually arrested at that location by the Ukiah Police Department.
With the assistance of his counsel and an interpreter, the defendant changed his not guilty pleas Thursday afternoon and entered no contest pleas to felony hit-and-run driving causing injury, and feloniously driving a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol .08 or greater causing injury.
The defendant also admitted the special allegation charged b the DA that he inflicted great bodily injury on the victim, making this conviction a violent felony case.
To resolve his case short of trial, the defendant was also required to stipulate to a state prison sentence of 60 months.
Given the violent nature and legal characterization of the crime due to the infliction of great bodily injury, the law mandates that the early release credits the defendant may attempt to earn from pretrial jail custody and post-conviction prison time shall be limited to no more than 15 percent of the overall 60 month sentence.
A violent felony conviction also constitutes a future Strike if the defendant is convicted of another felony anytime in the future.
Even though the defendant’s sentence has been determined, his matter was still referred to the Adult Probation Department for a background study. That background information is needed by the state prison authorities for classification purposes and prison facility assignment.
The law enforcement agencies that participated in the investigation of this case were the Ukiah Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, and the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigations.
The prosecutor handling this case from the filing of formal charges through sentencing is District Attorney David Eyster.
With the victim, her husband, and her son watching and listening from the gallery, Mendocino County Superior Court Judge Victoria Shanahan accepted the defendant’s change of pleas and admission Thursday afternoon.
Judge Shanahan will impose the five-year prison sentence when the case is called again on July 3, 2024 at 9 o’clock in the morning in Department B in the downtown Ukiah courthouse.
5 year prison sentence??? What kind of sickness is in the judicial system? This POS deserves life in prison. Fk me. This is ridiculous! If I was the family I would be so psd off. Oh I know, why not just let the guy walk that would be more fitting with the way Ukiah takes care of the criminals in this county!
5 years? I’m thinking at least 20 years with possible parole after 10 ! repeat drunk driver with a near deadly hit and run ..These drunk drivers that hit and run need to pay a price for their criminal actions! On any given day most of the MCSD’s bookings are fucking drunk drivers! Prison is the place for these potential Murderers !!!
Like give the guy 20 fucking years for fucking life right?
Just ride a bicycle for God’s sake. If you are drunk. It’s hard to kill somebody if you are riding a bike. Even totally drunk. If you are too drunk then you can’t even ride. And you only end up laying in the bushes with road rash. Been there. Done that.
Riding a bike drunk, while it will reduce the chances of seriously injuring innocent bystanders, it will not eliminate the chances of being charged with DUI.
Walking while drunk can easily get you tossed in for public drunkeness and/or disorderly conduct, especially in Ukiah.
Wtf? Only 5 yrs? This scum ruined someones life for his choice of actions. They have to suffer for the rest of their life, while this pos gets out with probably good time served 🤬
The reason for this is the cultural acceptance of alcohol. Fear of this happening to ourselves(so many people drink and drive) is why the penalty isn’t harsher. People see themselves in other drinkers and can more easily identify with the drunk than with the victim