A 21-year-old Camp Pendleton Marine pleaded guilty Tuesday to gross vehicular manslaughter for a drunken driving wrong-way crash in Stanton last month that killed a 70-year-old man.
Christian Alejandro Vasquez also admitted a misdemeanor count of driving without a valid driver’s license. Vasquez, who made a rare open plea, meaning there is no guarantee of what punishment he will receive, is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 12.
He faces up to 10 years in prison, according to prosecutors.
Vasquez had a blood-alcohol content of .26, more than three times the legal limit, at the time of the Aug. 16 crash on Beach Boulevard, said Deputy District Attorney Avery Harrison. Jerry Duplesse died of his injuries five days later, the prosecutor said.
Felony counts of driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury and driving with a blood-alcohol level of .08% or more causing injury were dismissed in conjunction with his plea.