Case # 16HF1046
13HF3788
Date: February 10, 2017
DRUNKEN, SPEEDING DRIVER SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR MURDERING SLEEPING MAN BY CRASHING INTO HOUSE WITH CAR
SANTA ANA, Calif. – A drunken, speeding driver was sentenced today to 15 years to life in state prison for murdering a sleeping man by crashing into the victim’s bedroom with his car. Kourosh Keshmiri, 30, Mission Viejo, was found guilty by a jury of one felony count of second degree murder on Dec. 12, 2016. In Case # 13HF3788, the defendant pleaded guilty today to one misdemeanor count of driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol with a prior and one misdemeanor count of driving with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or more with a prior.
When the defendant was convicted of DUI in 2010, he was advised that he could be charged with murder if he killed a person while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
At approximately 3:00 a.m. on Dec. 29, 2013, Keshmiri was speeding over 86 mph in a 25 mph residential neighborhood in Mission Viejo. He lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a home, driving into the front bedroom where 60-year-old victim Kenneth Jackson was sleeping in his bed.
When Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) deputies arrived, the defendant displayed objective signs of intoxication and performed poorly on a field sobriety test.
The victim died as a result of his injuries.
At the sentencing, Kenneth Jackson’s friend of over 20 years, Mark Martinez, gave a victim impact statement telling the court about how the murder has affected his life. Martinez stated in part, “Every time I fire up my Harley, he will always be with me. We rode many miles together. Unfortunately, I lost my brother many years ago; Ken became like that missing big brother to me.” Martinez also spoke about how the community was affected by losing Ken, stating in part, “He helped a lot of people get clean, and find a new way to live by helping addicts who were suffering … sponsoring a lot of people seeking recovery.”
Mark Martinez’s wife and Ken’s friend, Sandra Martinez, said of the victim, “Ken served in the Peace Corp. He approached me about coming to my class to speak to them about it … He had a big smile and his eyes danced with life and expectation. He was a true patriot. He will never make it to my classroom.” Sandra stated of the defendant in part, “I think this man needs a lot of time to reflect what he did, and be kept off the streets as long as possible so he can’t hurt anyone else with his bad judgment. I pray that as time goes by, our loss will help yet another person to find a better lifestyle as Ken would want.”
Senior Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Walker of the Homicide Unit prosecuted this case.