Man Charged With Vehicular Manslaughter In Deadly SMC Crash

REDWOOD CITY, CA — A man accused of reckless driving before a collision that killed a father of five and severely injured his wife last year pleaded no contest Monday to felony vehicular manslaughter, San Mateo County prosecutors said.

Diangelo Pantalion Williams was driving 65 to 70 mph in a 25 mph zone when he ran a red light at the intersection of Notre Dame Avenue and Kavanaugh Drive in East Palo Alto on June 16, 2017, according to the DA's office.

His vehicle broadsided another vehicle, killing Jose Diaz-Galaviz, and severely injuring Diaz-Galaviz's wife. She suffered a fractured skull and spine, as well as bruising in the lung, prosecutors said.

Williams only suffered lacerations as a result of the collision, but a passenger riding in his vehicle suffered a broken back, prosecutors said.

Investigators determined that drugs and alcohol did not play a part in the collision.

District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe called this a reckless driving case that resulted in the death of an individual.

"It's a homicide, because someone died at the hands of Mr. Williams, but it wasn't an intentional killing," Wagstaffe said.

Williams faces up to 14 years when he returns to court for sentencing on June 14. The potential sentence reflects Williams' prior criminal history, which includes a robbery conviction, according to Wagstaffe.

— By Bay City News Service / Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone