Man Convicted of DUI in Death of Son
A man previously convicted of DUI was convicted of felony hit-and-run causing death or serious injury, according to reports.
Angelo Fabiani was found guilty of a hit-and-run that left his four year old son, Valentino, brain-dead. Fabiani crashed his car on a San Diego freeway transition ramp June 2, 2013. Once he crashed, Fabiani unbuckled his son’s car seat. The boy then fell 10 feet onto the sidewalk. Fabiani’s lawyer told jurors he thought his child was dead once he fell from the car. He then proceeded to flee the scene, not realizing he was still alive. Valentino was declared brain-dead eight days after the crash.
Reports indicate that after Fabiani left the scene of the accident he walked to his home in Imperial Beach located 19 miles away. Reports say Fabiani spoke with friends and family through Facebook about getting across the border to Mexico. He was arrested while making plans to meet someone who agreed to drive him across the border into Mexico. Fabiani was arrested June 4, 2013. He has been convicted of DUI four times before.
“He Only Thought of Himself”
Deputy District Attorney Marisa Di Tillio said Fabiani was well aware that police were looking for him. “The whole city was looking for him,” Tillio explained. “He only thought about himself.” Tillio explained that Fabiani did not attempt to check on his son’s condition or contact the police during the two days after the accident.
Fabiani’s defense attorney Allen Bloom argued that Fabiani was in shock when he left his child at the accident, assuming he was already dead and there was nothing he could do. Bloom explained to the jury that Fabiani’s brain had “shut down” and was out of commission until almost 40 hours later. Jurors deliberated about two hours before finding Fabiani guilty of felony hit-and-run causing death or serious injury. Fabiani was acquitted of felony child endangerment.
Family members of loved ones who have suffered a fatal accident or have succumbed to serious injury will find it extremely difficult to look past their grief. When children are involved in the tragedy, it only makes it more difficult. The experienced lawyers found at Gilleon Law Firm, APC in San Diego understand that you deserve justice and are entitled to compensation when a tragedy such as the wrongful death of a child strikes. The first step to building a strong case is carefully investigating the facts surrounding the wrongful death. If your loved one has died due to someone else’s negligence, contact the attorneys at Gilleon Law Firm, APC today.
