LONG BEACH (CNS) – A Bellflower man was sentenced today to 10 years and four months in state prison for a hit-and-run crash that killed a woman near Long Beach City College. Mario Ivan Palafox, 24, was initially expected to be sentenced to eight years and four months behind bars. But Superior Court Judge Mark Kim tacked on an additional two years because the defendant had showed up in court more than two hours late for his planned sentencing Sept. 27, according to Deputy District Attorney Karen Brako. Palafox — who had also shown up late to other hearings in the case — had been advised that he had to show up on time for his sentencing last month or face the maximum term, the prosecutor said.
Palafox pleaded no contest Aug. 30 to one felony count of vehicular manslaughter and three felony counts of hit-and-run. He changed his plea to guilty after hearing statements from relatives of the victim, Elane Logay, just before he was sentenced. Palafox was driving a 1992 Lexus at a “high rate of speed” westbound on Carson Street about 11:15 a.m. on May 15, 2013, when it smashed into a 1985 Toyota Supra that was stopped in the left turn lane on Carson Street. The Toyota Supra then hit a 2005 Scion TC that struck a 2007 Ford Mustang, police said. Logay, a 47-year-old Long Beach resident who was in the Supra, died at the scene. Palafox fled the crash scene and was arrested near the Long Beach City College campus. He was released nine days later on bond. The judge ordered Palafox to be taken into custody last month after he showed up late to court for sentencing, which was postponed because the victim’s family members had already left court after waiting about two hours.
CNS-10-18-2016 12:09