Man Pleads No Contest To DUI Crash That Killed Firefighter

MARINA DEL REY, CA – A young man pleaded no contest Friday to two felonies – gross vehicular manslaughter and DUI causing injury – for driving drunk and causing a crash near Marina del Rey that killed a Georgia firefighter on vacation with some of his colleagues. Benjamin Albert Seider, 24, was immediately sentenced to seven years and four months in prison.

Seider had been free on bond, but was taken into custody after entering his plea and being sentenced. Deputy District Attorney Eva Jabber Stodel said Seider's blood-alcohol content was measured at 0.098 two-and- a-half hours after the April 10 crash at Ocean Avenue and Washington Boulevard that killed Ron Herens, 23, of Powder Springs, Georgia. Herens died at the scene.

He was on vacation with four fellow Marietta, Georgia, firefighters and was in a car with two of them when their vehicle was T-boned in an intersection. The other firefighters suffered various injuries, with one having broken ribs and the other a concussion and broken nose. A couple in a third car involved in the collision escaped injury.

Marietta Fire Chief Jackie Gibbs said Seider's car ran a red light and slammed into Herens' vehicle.

City News Service and Patch staffer Emily Holland contributed to this post; Image via Shutterstock