The California Supreme Court refused Wednesday to review the case of a man who is serving a 30-years-to-life term in state prison for a DUI crash that killed a married couple in Arleta.
In a ruling in May, a three-justice panel from California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal affirmed a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge’s order denying Arsen Panasian’s petition for re-sentencing in connection with a June 20, 2015, crash that killed Alfred Chacon, 62, and his wife, Alma.
Panasian, now 51, drove through a red light at the intersection of Branford Street and Dorrington Place and crashed his Chevrolet Astro van into the couple’s Toyota Camry as they were heading home from a birthday party, authorities said.
The victims were pronounced dead at the scene.
Panasian had a blood-alcohol content of 0.23% — nearly three times the legal limit considered impaired — at the time of the crash, according to evidence presented at his trial.
The Van Nuys resident was found guilty in December 2016 of two counts each of second-degree murder and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
Panasian had been convicted twice before — in 2001 and 2006 — of misdemeanor driving with a 0.08% or higher blood alcohol content, Deputy District Attorney Kaveh Faturechi said at the time.