Man receives 11 years for DUI car accident that left three returning from Bible study in Placentia died

Mario Armando Paz. Jr., a 25-year-old man from Santa Ana, pleaded guilty on April 18, 2024,  and was quickly convicted to 11 years in jail due to being an intoxicated driver that left 2 adults dead including a 10-year-old girl who was departing from a Bible study meeting in Placentia according to The Orange County Register. 

The drunk driver pleaded guilty to three counts of gross vehicular homicide while drunk, one count of  DUI inflicting severe injury on victims and a count of DUI with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or more according to ABC7 Los Angeles. 

The criminal complaint stated that his blood alcohol content was 0.14 and was charged for running the red light and driving recklessly according to the complaint.  

According to Placentia police Sgt. Joe Connell, the four deceased accident victims that took place on Jan. 25, 2023, were 10-year-old Lucero Lopez of Anaheim; the girl's stepfather, 36-year-old Alberto Vicente Lopez of Anaheim and 65-year-old Georgia Ramirez of Placentia.

Placentia Police Department officers responded at 8:45 PM due to a car collision on the corner of Orangethorpe Avenue and South Melrose Street, where officers found out that the drunk driver of the black Honda Accord slammed into the back of a white Ford van which the victims were thrown out. 

"Numerous other cars were involved in the collision authorities," said. Approximately eight people were injured according to police.

Three victims were transported to UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange with severe injuries, and two children were brought to Children's Hospital Orange County, where Lucero was pronounced dead., said police.

"Lopez and Ramirez were pronounced dead at the scene," authorities said. 

"A church staff was driving the victims home in a van from a Bible study group, " Connell said.