US EditionThey Were Convicted of Killing with Their Cars. No One Told the California DMV
CALIFORNIA, JUN 25 – California courts failed to report over 275 vehicular manslaughter convictions to the DMV, allowing nearly 200 drivers to retain licenses improperly over the past five years.
- Over the last five years, numerous vehicular manslaughter convictions from California courts have not been communicated to the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles, resulting in drivers improperly retaining valid licenses.
- This failure results from long-standing poor communication among courts, law enforcement, and the DMV, combined with slow processes and human error in several counties.
- Several drivers convicted of serious offenses—including Ramon Pacheco, Angie Brey Hamano, and Marvin Salazar—have maintained valid licenses despite legal requirements to suspend their driving privileges for a minimum period following their felony convictions.
- For example, Hamano’s license remained valid until May 7, 2023, nearly three years after a fatal crash, and Salazar’s license was reissued two months after his May 2023 conviction, illustrating delayed revocation.
- These reporting failures weaken road safety accountability and have led victims’ families and advocates to demand stricter enforcement of license suspensions following deadly crashes.
22 Articles
22 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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