July 8, 2010
Orange County District Attorney's Office
SANTA ANA - A speeding drunken driver will be arraigned tomorrow for killing one friend and injuring two others after slicing his car in half by crashing into a tree. Andrew Stueber, 25, a Marine stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, is charged with one felony count of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence while intoxicated with sentencing enhancement allegations for causing bodily injury to two additional victims. Stueber is also charged with an infraction for failing to maintain insurance. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 12 years in state prison. The People will be requesting $150,000 bail at Stueber's arraignment tomorrow, Friday, July 9, 2010, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana.
At approximately 2:10 a.m. on Aug. 1, 2009, Stueber is accused of driving in a Ford Mustang while under the influence of alcohol after a night of drinking with friends at Goodys Tavern in San Clemente. He is accused of speeding on Avenida Vista Montana at approximately 70 mph in a 35 mph zone with friends Edmund Vandecasteele, 22, Robert Nichols, 22, and Kyle Nance, 21, as passengers in the car.
Stueber is accused of losing control of his car while driving at a high rate of speed and crossing over onto the wrong side of the road. He is accused of crashing into a tree, severing his car in half.
Stueber was transported to the hospital to be treated for head trauma. Approximately two hours after the crash, he is accused of having a blood alcohol level of .09 percent.
Vandecasteele, who had been riding in the front passenger seat, was pronounced dead at the scene due to multiple traumatic injuries. Nichols and Nance, who had both been riding in the back seat, were transported to the hospital to be treated for cuts and bruises.
Deputy District Attorney Jason Baez of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.
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