DUI Driver Who Killed San Mateo Motorcyclist Takes Plea

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By Bay City New Service

A man who killed a motorcyclist in a crash outside La Honda earlier this year pleaded guilty Wednesday to vehicular manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol, prosecutors said.

Marco Franco-Cuevas, 23, entered the plea in the court of Judge Leland Davis in exchange for a sentence of no more than two years in prison, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.

Franco-Cuevas was driving a white 2003 Chevrolet Impala east on state Highway 84 near Sylvan Way at about 3 p.m. on Feb. 14 when he took a curve too fast, lost control of the car and collided head-on with a motorcyclist.

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The motorcyclist, identified as 40-year-old Matthew Langley of San Mateo, was ejected from the bike and pronounced dead at the scene. Neither Franco-Cuevas nor his two passengers, his uncle and a 17-year-old boy, were
injured.

Franco-Cuevas showed signs of intoxication. Testing showed his blood-alcohol level was .054 -- below the legal limit of .08 -- but prosecutors said he had taken the prescription psychiatric medication Abilify, which should not be taken with alcohol.

His defense attorney, Alexander Cross, said the blood alcohol screening wasn’t done until more than three hours after the crash.

But Cross said that even if he had not been drinking, the crash could have happened the same way and a sober driver easily could have lost control of the car going around that curve. Franco-Cuevas has no prior criminal record, Cross said.

“He is extremely remorseful for what happened, he takes full responsibility,” he said.

Franco-Cuevas has been in custody on $250,000 bail since his arrest. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18.