Drunk Driver Who Crashed Into South San Francisco Bus Sentenced to Jail

By Bay City News Service:

An intoxicated driver who plowed into the back of a SamTrans bus in South San Francisco last year and then threw up in the backseat of a patrol car after his arrest was sentenced Wednesday to a year in jail, prosecutors said.

In addition to the jail sentence, Jimmy Velasco, 32, was sentenced to five years’ probation, San Mateo County Deputy District Attorney Sean Gallagher said.

Velasco could avoid jail time if a judge approves a work release program, but Wednesday was ordered to begin serving his sentence on April 25. He has nine days of credit for time served, Gallagher said.

The crash happened just before 6 p.m. on Jan. 3, 2014. Velasco was driving on El Camino Real and rear-ended a bus stopped at the intersection with Arroyo Drive, prosecutors said.

Multiple passengers were injured and taken to a hospital.

Velasco was not hurt in the crash and told arriving officers, “I hit the bus, I’m a little drunk,” prosecutors said.

Police testing found that he was driving with a blood-alcohol content of 0.17 percent. When Velasco was arrested, he threw up in the back of the officers’ patrol car.

He pleaded no contest to felony drunk driving last month in exchange for a maximum sentence of two years in prison, prosecutors said.

In addition to his jail and probation sentence, he must pay restitution to six victims, $7,341 to one and an amount to be determined for the other five.

His driving privileges were suspended and he must enroll in a nine-month alcohol abuse program, Gallagher said.

Velasco’s attorney was not immediately available for comment.

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