US EditionThey Were Convicted of Killing with Their Cars. No One Told the California DMV
- In May 2022, Ramon Pacheco made a U-turn and killed 29-year-old Dominic Lopez-Toney in San Joaquin County, but his driving privileges remained valid without suspension as of February 2023.
- This case highlights a broader problem in which numerous misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter convictions from California have not been communicated to the DMV over the last five years, resulting in many offenders retaining valid driver's licenses despite their convictions.
- Supporting examples include Jadon Mendez, whose license was reissued in January 2022 just 49 days after a December 2021 fatal crash, and Angie Brey Hamano, whose 2021 conviction was not reported until after media inquiries prompted DMV action in 2023.
- Nearly 200 drivers have misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter convictions on record without corresponding license suspensions, despite state law mandating a minimum three-year revocation for felony convictions, revealing systemic failures in court-to-DMV reporting.
- These communication breakdowns between courts and the DMV raise safety concerns, as advocates insist that enforcing license suspensions is essential to hold drivers accountable and prevent further fatal crashes.
20 Articles
20 Articles
Daily Breeze
They were convicted of killing with their cars. No one told the California DMV
By LAUREN HEPLER and ROBERT LEWIS | CalMatters California courts have failed to report hundreds of vehicular manslaughter convictions to the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles over the past five years, allowing roadway killers to improperly keep their driver’s licenses, a CalMatters investigation has found. Marvin Salazar was convicted in May 2023 for killing his 18-year-old friend Joseph Ramirez, who was in the passenger seat when Salazar gun…
License to Kill: Why California's Dangerous Drivers Get to Keep Their Licenses
The California DMV routinely allows dangerous drivers with horrifying histories to continue to operate on our roadways. Too often they go on to kill. Many keep driving even after they kill. Some go on to kill again.
They were convicted of killing with their cars. No one told the California DMV.
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. California courts have failed to report hundreds of vehicular manslaughter convictions to the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles over the past five years, allowing roadway killers to improperly keep their driver’s licenses, a CalMatters investigation has found. Marvin Salazar was convicted in May 2023 for killing his 18-year-old friend Joseph Ramirez, who was in …
They were convicted of killing with their cars. No one told the California DMV. – Shasta Scout
Joseph Ramirez’s gravesite in Eternal Valley Memorial Park; Ramirez was killed by vehicular manslaughter in 2023, but the Los Angeles Superior Court didn’t report the conviction to the DMV until almost a year later. Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. California courts have failed to report hundreds of vehicular manslaughter convictions to the state’s Department of …
They were convicted of killing with their cars. No one told the California DMV. – Sierra Nevada Ally
Joseph Ramirez’s gravesite in Eternal Valley Memorial Park; Ramirez was killed by vehicular manslaughter in 2023, but the Los Angeles Superior Court didn’t report the conviction to the DMV until almost a year later. Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. California courts have failed to report hundreds of vehicular manslaughter convictions to the state’s Department of …
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