Rita Campos will be sentenced for causing the death of cyclist
Bruce Finch in South County Courthouse Monday.
Rita Campos will be sentenced for causing the death of cyclist Bruce Finch in South County Courthouse Monday.
Campos, 61 of Morgan Hill, was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter May 24, following a jury trial that included three days of testimony.
The jury found that Campos drove negligently when her Honda Civic struck the moving cyclist at the intersection of Uvas and Little Uvas roads in west Morgan Hill Oct. 5, 2008. Campos was making a left turn onto northbound Uvas Road when Finch, 58 of Gilroy, who was riding a Trek bicycle, struck the front left fender of the car.
After the impact, Finch’s body ejected into the middle of Uvas Road. He was pronounced dead when paramedics arrived at the scene.
Jurors said after the trial that evidence presented by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, which included more than 40 photographs of the accident scene and a reenactment of the accident, as well as the testimony of the California Highway Patrol officer who led the investigation, indicated that Campos failed to yield to Finch, who had the right of way.
No witnesses saw the collision.
Vehicular manslaughter is a misdemeanor in California, and Campos could receive a maximum sentence of one year in county jail.
The sentencing hearing will take place 9 a.m. in South County Courthouse Department 105.
