SANTA ANA, Calif.—A 32-year-old man pleaded guilty Dec. 11 and was immediately sentenced to 250 hours of community service for causing a crash as a Lyft driver that killed a 70-year-old passenger in Tustin.
Andy Van Pham pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter and possession of a controlled substance, both misdemeanors. As part of the plea deal possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawfully providing false information to a police officer, both misdemeanors, were dismissed along with an infraction for making an unsafe turn or lane change.
The fatal crash occurred about 7 a.m. May 4, 2021, near Jamboree Road and Patriot Way, according to Tustin police.
Mr. Pham fell asleep behind the wheel and slammed his car into a light pole, police said. The passenger was identified as 70-year-old Margie Quibol of Tustin, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
Mr. Pham was sentenced to 44 days in jail for the manslaughter, but he had credit for that time served in jail before he bailed out. He was sentenced to a month in jail on the drug charge, but that won’t have to be served if he completes the community service by June 11.
