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Driver who struck and killed SLO couple sentenced to prison

April 9, 2024

Jennifer Besser and Matthew Chachere

By KAREN VELIE

The 24-year-old man who struck and killed a San Luis Obispo couple while speeding on Sacramento Drive last fall was sentenced Tuesday to five years and four month in prison. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to two counts of felony gross vehicular manslaughter.

Daniel Saligan Patricio

On the evening of Nov. 21, 2022, Daniel Saligan Patricio was speeding at an estimated 61 mph on Sacramento Drive in San Luis Obispo as he approached a nearly 90-degree turn, with a speed limit of 20 mph.

Saligan Patricio struck a curb, a street sign, the abutment of a bridge and pedestrians Matthew Ernest Chachere, and Jennifer Ann Besser, who were walking their dog, Buddy.

Chachere, Besser and Buddy were killed.

During the sentencing hearing, family members describing the couple as kind, thoughtful, and having a strong love for life and one another.

Before imposing the five year four month sentence, Superior Court Judge Michael Frye balanced the aggravated circumstances of the collision with Saligan Patricio’s lack of criminal history and acceptance of responsibility before a trial.

 


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He’ll be out in 2.8 years . Wait & see .


9

Proposition 57 passed by California voters in 2016 revised the formulas by which actual prison time served is calculated and provides for accelerated early release of inmates. With good behavior, Patricio will earn “good time” credits that shave time off his 5-year 4-month sentence. Additional credits can be earned if he participates in substance abuse rehab counseling, educational programs, or is assigned to a minimum-security conservation camp or gets trained as an inmate wildland firefighter. It’s conceivable that Patricio may serve no more than 3.5 years in prison, possibly even less. This advantageous reality for California’s criminals seems astonishingly unjust for California’s innocent victims.


18

The two sentences should have been adjudicated to be served consecutively.


17

Only 5 years is way too light a sentence for the cowardly hit and run homicide of 2 innocent pedestrians. Such a light sentence will not deter Patrico and other dangerous drivers from not doing the same.


52

Who is the judge? Hopefully this dumb dumb judge will lie awake every night thinking about his decisions.


37

He knew he killed them and then lied about it. Murder is the appropriate charge and the sentence should concur that. 5 years is a slap on the wrist. Total bullshit.


65

Way to light a sentence. I’m so sorry for the families. No length of sentence will bring them back. But In my opinion he should have got at least 20 yrs. I’m still angry about this.


75

“Saligan Patricio’s acceptance of responsibility before a trial”, hardly had he accepted his actions he would have stopped after hitting the couple. He either knew he hit them or he was so impaired that he didn’t know and either way should have gotten him a lot more than 5 years. He’ll be out before he turn 30’s possibly a lot earlier and free to drive and kill more people. He should be restricted from obtaining a license for life, but we know that doesn’t stop many from driving. I wonder what other attributes the judge applied to give such a light sentence.


18

So according to the “law” their lives are worth less than 3 years each. That is so wrong.


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