San Jose Man Convicted In Crash That Killed Peninsula Father

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA -- A San Jose man was convicted Wednesday in San Mateo County Superior Court of felony vehicular manslaughter, felony drunk driving and other charges for his role in a fatal crash on U.S. Highway 101 in Burlingame in 2016.

Louis Sale, 33, was driving his pickup truck heading south on the highway around 3:45 a.m. on April 9, 2016, when he struck the rear of a car driven by 46-year-old Vivaldo Braga Veloso Jr., of Burlingame, just north of
the San Bruno Avenue off-ramp.

Investigators determined that Sale had objective signs of intoxication, and a blood test later showed a blood-alcohol content of 0.15 percent.

Veloso was transported to a hospital, but died three days later after being declared brain dead and taken off of life support. He was the father of two daughters who were 4 and 6 years old at the time of his death.

At the end of a 20-day jury trial, Sale was convicted of four charges: felony vehicular manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol, felony drunk driving causing injury, felony driving with 0.08 percent
blood-alcohol content, and misdemeanor driving on a suspended license.

The trial isn't over yet. The jury has not yet reached a verdict on one remaining felony charge of second-degree murder, and one of the jurors was unable to continue serving because of a planned vacation.

Judge John Gradsaert has ordered the remaining jurors to return to court at 9 a.m. Friday, at which time an alternate juror will be substituted so that deliberations on the murder charge can continue.

Defense attorney Peter Goldscheider promptly responded to a request for comment on his client's behalf, but declined to discuss specifics on the case until the jury reaches a verdict on the final charge.

--Bay City News/Photo via Shutterstock

Also See:

Murder Charge Filed in Death of Burlingame Man