Opening statements in the jury trial for Rita Campos are
expected to begin later this week.
Opening statements in the jury trial for Rita Campos are expected to begin later this week.
Campos, 61 of Morgan Hill, was charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter after the Honda Civic she was driving collided with cyclist Bruce Finch, 58 of Gilroy – killing him almost instantly.
Campos pleaded not guilty to the charge in July 2009.
The opening statements could begin Thursday morning at the earliest, if the prosecution and defense choose a jury panel before then, according to supervising district attorney for Santa Clara County Stephen Lowney. The two sides began the jury selection process Monday.
The accident occurred Oct. 5, 2008, at the intersection of Uvas and Little Uvas roads. Campos was pulling forward to make a left turn onto Little Uvas Road at a stop sign, when Finch struck the front of her vehicle. She said she did not see the cyclist as she inched into the road so she could see around some yard signs and a utility pole partially blocking her view.
Finch suffered a broken neck and severed spinal cord after the impact with Campos’ car. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
The California Highway Patrol conducted a lengthy investigation that was concluded in January 2009, and recommended the charge of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence, which the D.A.’s office filed.
Campos has said that Finch’s surviving wife and daughter settled a civil wrongful death lawsuit against her for the maximum amount allowed by her auto insurance, or about $15,000.
