AURORA | An Aurora man accused of driving drunk last year and causing a head-on crash that killed a mother and her daughter was convicted yesterday of vehicular homicide and a host of additional charges, according to prosecutors.
Juan Pablo Pascual-Licea, 32, was found guilty on multiple charges after he killed two people in one family and critically injured two more, according to a statement from the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
The jury deliberated for less than two hours before returning guilty verdicts for two counts of vehicular homicide, two counts of vehicular assault, and one count of child abuse, knowingly/recklessly causing serious bodily injury
“In the blink of an eye, a family is torn apart by the selfish actions of someone who chose to drive drunk and endanger multiple lives,” Senior Deputy DA Meghan Gallo said in the statement. “As a mother, I cannot imagine the heartbreak, grief, and devastation this family has suffered. It was a privilege to prosecute this case and bring justice to this family.”
On April 8, 2022, a family of four — including a mom, dad, a 10-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter — were driving back home after celebrating the daughter’s birthday.
Pascual-Licea was driving more than 80 mph in the wrong direction on Chambers Road when he collided with the family’s car, according to the press release. The crash occurred near East Sixth Avenue.
The son and his father suffered serious injuries, but they ultimately survived. The mother and the daughter were pronounced dead at the hospital.
Investigators with the Aurora Police Department discovered that Pascual-Licea also hit a bicyclist and then nearly hit a group of teenagers in a crosswalk, according to the release.
Pascual-Licea’s blood alcohol level was reported at being .181, more than double the legal limit, when it was tested nearly an hour after the crash.
“There is no excuse or justification for the defendant’s egregious actions that night,” Senior Deputy DA Doug Bechtel said in the press release. “A father woke up several days later in a hospital bed, only to learn his wife and daughter were dead, and his son would have to learn how to walk again. Their lives are forever changed based on the defendant’s inexcusable behavior to drive drunk.”
Pascual-Licea is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 15.
The criminal was not an “Aurora man”, he was an illegal alien who happened to have settled in Aurora. Yet another tragedy resultant from poor governmental policies.
He’ll be out in no time.
Were all occupants of the vehicle Juan Pablo Pascual-Licea hit wearing seat-belts?
The assumption of an illegal alien driving around here without being stated in the court records which would verify your thinking is not too much of a stretch anymore. These are significant convictions, and the jury is sending a message of potential opportunity for meaningful sentencing.
• Two counts of vehicular homicide – DUI
• Two counts of vehicular assault – DUI
• Child abuse – knowingly/recklessly causing serious bodily injury
• Child abuse – knowingly/recklessly causing death
This is the direct result of illegal immigration