NEWPORT BEACH — A 33-year-old man was convicted Monday of a crash that killed a United States Postal Service driver six years ago in Garden Grove.
Lotfullah Sohaib Latif was driving nearly 90 mph on the Garden Grove (22) Freeway, near Valley View Street, seconds before “veering off the highway and colliding with the guard rail,” about 3:55 a.m. on June 9, 2019, prosecutors said in a trial brief.
Latif “veered back onto the road” as the vehicle was disabled in the eastbound lanes. Carlos Alberto Lara crashed a semi-trailer tractor truck into the disabled vehicle and slammed into a pole, causing the truck to “burst into flames,” prosecutors said.
Latif’s defense attorney argued Latif tried to get the vehicle off the freeway but it was stuck. He also tried to turn on the hazard and head lights, his defense said in court papers.
A breath test showed Latif’s blood-alcohol level at .09% but a blood test showed it under the legal limit, his attorney said in court papers.
Latif was convicted of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in Lara’s death, driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury and driving with a blood-alcohol level of .08% or more causing injury.
Jurors also found true sentencing enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury on the victim.