Sad and unbelievable.  Not fair at all!

Too bad he continues to breathe!

SOOOO sad and definitely a slap in the face to the Walters family.  Five years probation, I understand that as he is a quad now BUT make him do community service to warn other young kids the consequences of driving excessively over the sped limit on public roads. 

Why were his headlights turned off going 94 mph? Was he cited for not driving without insurance?  Well, personally I'd sue him for wrongful death-UNREAL!!

 He was ordered to pay $21,428.10 to Walter’s family to cover funeral expenses, they should have offered to pay for it without being ordered to.

Are you kidding me? That is just wrong.

Well, now that it's all over, he can go home.

He can go home and have the satisfaction of being a huge burden on his family, the health care system and the taxpayers.

Yay for him.

I learned that street racers, turn off their headlights as an extra thrill.

Hmmmmm...that should have been a charge as well.

Lucio, if you are going to tell the story, at least do it accurately. True, he got 5 years probation, but in addition to that, he was sentenced to a day in jail. You left that part out.

I am probably one of the most opinionated people on here when it comes to law and order, the 3 strikes law, and criminal justice. However, after seeing Espinoza speak during his sentencing today, it just struck me that he is already in his own personal prison and locking him up will serve no purpose towards furthering justice. I think the judge made the right call on this one.

Day, smay, let it go.

My first reaction was one of anger, because this guy knew what he was doing when he got behind the wheel, but I can completely understand OldBlue's point.

My reaction is still anger. A lot of anger.

I am sorry, but I gotta go with Old Blue on this one. This guy and his family are in their own personal hell with no end in sight. My utmost sympathies to the family of Dorothy Walter.

Thank you for posting her picture.  The local press focuses on the fat ass punk and nothing about Mrs. Walter.  The judge should have also made the punk talk to High Schoolers about the dangers of racing.

If he killed MY mom, I'd sentence him to one day on top of an ant hill in the Mojave Desert.

She's dead and peace be with her. Danny has a life time of hell. Think about it, he suffers the most in his own personal living hell. It befits the crime he committed. He has no quality life, he never will. His body will be riddled with disease, infections, never ending trips to doctors, hospitals. He will never have a woman, nor a child, no one to love him but his parents, who will come to hate him, although it will grieve them to do so, but they will because they have the never ending job of caring for him. Hell on earth.

I'm with you on this one, Lana. Definitely.

So is the spam code. XUCKT

I personally think living life like Danny will, is hell. He deserves to be alive and paying the high price of being a quad. Don't get me wrong folks, I am also for the death penalty. But the system takes too long to kill them, then they get a zillion appeals. My brother in law was murdered execution style, I have no sympathy for his killer, who is still serving his sentence for 2nd degree murder, (17 years so far) but truth be told, I'd rather the killer be facing the life as Danny will, then enjoy the pleasures of prison life. Think about it.

IMO: People will continue to commit crimes such as this one and the beating of the elderly man by a bunch of punks just as long as they are not punished. Yes, he got one day in jail. Yes, he's on probation and if he violates, will go back to jail. Yes, he's a quadriplegic now.  I get all those things, however, one day a woman might love him. One day he might have a "better quality" of life. And whatever happened to personal responsibility in this country? 

Dorothy's family has no hope of her returning, no hope of hearing her voice this side of heaven, no hope of seeing more grandchildren and great-grandchildren being born. None. I don't deny this man is suffering massive regret and pain (perhaps due mostly in part to what he's physically suffering?), however, he's still breathing and that gives him at least a chance of enjoying life at some later date. No, he won't enjoy it like he did before ie: racing, etc.. But he will have a chance at least. He gets to see his loving dad and family. They are there to hold him during the hard days and nights. No such chance can be given to Dorothy.

One cannot always assume that a quadriplegic is living in "hell" due to his or her condition. This man may very well be, however, it cannot be assumed. And to claim that such a "sentence" is sufficient is debatable.

My heart goes out to Dorothy's family and friends as well as Daniel's (for obviously different reasons). This is a really tough situation. I'm sure that's putting it mildly.

There is a program called "Grief Share" at Calvary Chapel Westbrook. Perhaps this might help some that are suffering from the loss of a loved one.. ?

I'm sorry for the family and their loss. If that guy would have gone to prison, do you know any medical or mental help he might have needed while he was in prisonhow much that would cost? Theres still must be justice served but to house a guy like that in our prison system would be very expensive. Maybe some water torture or something.

I don't believe in personal hells. This guy could eventually recover more mobility. Or he could be cured eventually. What then? He can't be tried again. 

Good point witbee

I think if he starts to regain some mobility you let him walk let him feel more like a man...then you take that sh!t away from him again.

This is not  the 1st. time or 2nd  or even the 3rd, but the 4th  time Daniel Espinoza was caught  excessive speeding.

On  March 5,2006  when  "Danny"  killed  Dorothy Anne Walter, he was going  94 miles an hour.

There is No justice.

https://public.courts.ventura.org/pub-bin/tsrvweb.exe?tserve_trans_config=casecase.cfg&CASENUM=2001550035%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&PERSONNUM=666936
 

https://public.courts.ventura.org/pub-bin/tsrvweb.exe?tserve_trans_config=casecase.cfg&CASENUM=2002522151%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&PERSONNUM=666936
 

https://public.courts.ventura.org/pub-bin/tsrvweb.exe?tserve_trans_config=casecase.cfg&CASENUM=2001608999%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&PERSONNUM=666936

 

Un B lievable.  Was his past violations taken into account by the judge? 

It's obvious from this account that this guy was going to hurt someone, sometime.  His family should thank their lucky stars that it wasn't one of them in the oncoming vehicle. 

Can Dorothy's family sue him in civil court for wrongful death.   Or have they already started a suit.

OMG...

OB I AM SO SURPRISED BY YOUR POST.....I AM PROUD OF YOU MR BLUE.......Now I just have to convince you that VB is innocent.....

Timec-now that was FUNNY-LOLOLOL:)

timec, thanks for the kind words, but I hope VB rots in HELL. That's just my blue opinion.

It's not like he would have gone to an actual prison. He more than likely would have been sent to a prison ward at a hospital given the medical care a quadriplegic requires, at great expense to the taxpayer I might add. For those that think the mental ward is a "slap on the wrist" for the teen, they should also think the same of the prison ward in the hospital, no? As the judge said, nothing is going to bring Dorothy back to life.

A friend and I were discussing this situation today. He said he bets Espinoza's family would have probably liked to see him do some time in prison, as it would have saved them a few years of wiping his butt everyday.

I never thought of that.

this whole thing irritates me... i understand that the guy is NOW handicapped, but he wasnt at the time that he did this, he was being stupid, and now he is suffering for what he did, BUT, he should have more duties, serious what probation can he break being a quad? he KILLED a lady it doesnt matter if she was older (whos to say she wouldnt have lived to be 105?) or not, he killed someone doing a stupid act. People can recover from being handicapped, but you cant bring back someone that is dead. so if he heals are they going to have a second trial? i doubt it. 

Do any of you really think that because he's not going to prison (for long, anyway) that he won't be getting some sort of assistance from the state? If so, I think that's naive. I doubt we'll be saving that much on him.

After reading that this wasn't his first time, I have no words to describe the level of injustice I believe has taken place.

I bet he's already receiving SSI and maybe SS disability checks in addition to Medicaid.

The judge; Michael Lewis felt sorry for the  Killer  Espinoza, he
doesn't even have to report to probation in person. Just send a letter
each month and tell them what he is doing. He never  has to come back
to Bakersfield, CA  again, So…is that really Probation ?

1)   KILL an Innocent Person
 .
2)  Street Race at over 94 miles an hour  [ on a city street ]

3)  Driving with his Headlights Turned Off ,  In  the  dark .

4)  Driving WITHOUT   INSURANCE

5) This was the  4th  time "killer" Espinoza  was caught EXCESSIVE SPEEDING [ That I Know Of ]

          There is No Justice, No accountability, Why have LAWS  at all. 

Probation was recommending two years in prison. The D.A. was asking for four, the family was hoping for all six years in prison for the death of their loved one.

Judge Lewis did feel sorry for Espinoza and imposed what he thought was in Espinoza's best interest, with NO REGARD  to the victim or her  family and the fact that Espinoza  killed an innocent person.

Bottom line, Daniel "Danny"Espinoza KILLED Dorothy Anne Walter.

So, Lucio, is your real name Patricia Patwell? There is a letter to the editor in Tuesday's newspaper written to slam Judge Lewis for his sentencing of Espinoza. Reminded me of you.