Tapu Aniceto Sitagata, 27 of Santa Ana was drinking at Newport Five Cocktail Lounge in Tustin on Dec. 20 when a bartender asked Sitagata, his friends and family to leave because they were being rowdy, according to an Orange County district attorney's office news release.
Both the bartender and a Tustin police officer offered to call a cab for Sitagata, but he told the officer he was waiting for a cab, prosecutors said.
After the officer left, prosecutors allege Sitagata drove his Chevrolet Suburban away from the bar and crashed at Irvine Center and Culver drives in Irvine, about five miles away, the Daily Pilot reported.
Sitagata's 20-year-old nephew, Pesa Sitagata, was killed and Sitagata's 34-year-old brother-in-law, Aron La, suffered fractures to both legs, broken ribs and lacerations to his spleen and liver, the release said.
A passerby offered to call 911, but Sitagata refused before fleeing on foot, according to prosecutors. He was arrested a short distance away.
Sitagata is charged with one felony count each of murder, driving under the influence causing great bodily injury, driving with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 or higher, and hit-and-run with injury; and one misdemeanor count of driving with a suspended license, according to the release.
He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years and eight months to life in prison.
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-- Lauren Williams, Times Community News
Image: Map shows location of the car crash in Irvine. Source: Google Maps
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