Lawrenceville, GA – Sonal Nandkishor Patel has been sentenced to seven years in prison following a fatal car crash. The incident occurred on February 4, resulting in the death of Omar Ortiz, a father of two.
Patel, 40, pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and DUI as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. After her release, she will serve 18 years on probation.
Prosecutors stated that Patel was intoxicated and had not slept for two days when the crash happened. The collision occurred around 4 a.m. when Ortiz was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Leticia Almaguer, who struck Patel’s car that was stopped in the middle of the interstate.
Emergency responders transported Almaguer and Patel to the hospital, while Ortiz was pronounced dead at the scene. Police found cocaine in Patel’s vehicle, and it was revealed that she did not have a valid driver’s license.
Patel had a prior DUI conviction in 2007. Despite this, she was able to bond out of pretrial detention twice, prompting reactions from Ortiz’s family.
Karina Deochand, representing Ortiz’s family, expressed disappointment over Patel’s ability to bond out. Almaguer commented on Ortiz’s intention to provide a better life for his children.
Ortiz had recently immigrated to the U.S. from Cuba, seeking a future for his family. Almaguer stated that his children will grow up without their father.