Driver in Fatal DUI Crash Near Del Mar Sentenced

SAN DIEGO, CA: A man who was drunk and driving on a suspended license when he rear-ended a BMW stuck in traffic on Interstate 5 near Del Mar, killing the driver, was sentenced Wednesday to 14 years in state prison.

Abraham Beltran, 25, pleaded guilty in February to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence, causing great bodily injury to multiple victims.

According to testimony at his preliminary hearing, the defendant was traveling between 81 and 89 mph when his Toyota Camry rear-ended the BMW on the northbound I-5 just north of Del Mar Heights Road about 7 a.m. on Feb. 15 last year.

The driver of the 2007 BMW, 52-year-old Oscar Melero of National City, died in an ambulance en route to a hospital.

A 2010 Volvo and a 2001 Nissan were also involved in the collision, and another man was seriously injured.

Ryan Rhodes said Feb. 14, 2015, was the best day of his life when he sent Melero flowers on Valentine's Day, and the next day turned out to be the worst when he got word that his partner of 13 years had been killed.

"The carpet was pulled out from under me," Rhodes said.

Rhodes told the defendant that he forgave him, just as Melero would have done. Rhodes also encouraged Beltran to forgive himself.

Beltran apologized to the victim's family and friends and said he hoped his testimony would help save lives in the future.

Before pronouncing sentence, Judge Charles Rogers said Melero was a "bright light" who was loved by many. "It is clear to me that the world is a lesser place with his passing," the judge said.

Deputy District Attorney Cally Bright said Beltran's blood-alcohol level was between .11 and .13 percent at the time of the crash, well above the legal limit of .08.

According to the prosecutor, the defendant has prior convictions for driving on a suspended license with excessive alcohol, and had been warned about the dangers of drinking and driving.

By Kelly Wheeler, City News Service

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