(Photo courtesy of Rick McClure)
An Agua Dulce man has been charged with vehicular manslaughter after an alleged solo DUI crash in which his friend was killed and two others were injured, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Michael Blake Palazzola, 24, faces one felony count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and two felony counts of driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage causing injury.
The case was filed yesterday and Palazzola pleaded not guilty today to the charges. He is due back on March 10 in Department S of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, San Fernando Branch.
Palazzola is accused of being under the influence when he crashed near Stevenson Ranch Parkway and Pico Canyon Road in Stevenson Ranch on Jan. 16, prosecutors said. The defendant was allegedly driving Steven Richard Kirk’s vehicle who was riding as a passenger and died as a result of the crash, prosecutors added.
Two women in the vehicle also were injured but survived.
If convicted as charged, Palazzola faces a possible maximum sentence of 18 years in state prison.
Bail has been set at $360,000.
The case remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol, Newhall Station.
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5 Comments
Wonder how his “friends” family feels about this situation
Not guilty? He was driving at an unsafe speed and his friend died… How is he not guilty??
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Coward
They always plead not guilty and that way they get a trial and their lawyer can try and find loophole to get them off.