Ramona man pleads guilty to drunk driving that caused San Diego fatal accident

Fifty-one-year-old Ramona, California resident Roy Dunkin made a guilty plea to driving drunk and causing a fiery two-vehicle collision on Friday, November 4 along State Route 67 on August 20, 2016, that killed 24-year-old Lucas Riley.

According to Deputy District Attorney Cally Bright, Dunkins will spend five years and 10 months of an 11-year, 8-month sentence in prison, based on how the law is set up.

According to court documents, Dunkin initially drove past a stop light, causing a collision with another vehicle and injuring three people. He then proceeded to drive along California State Route 67 and veered off the roadway before crashed head-on into Riley’s Mini Cooper; Riley became trapped inside his car while flames enveloped his vehicle, with Bright noting, “[Riley] literally had no chance.”

Riley, who was a graduate of San Diego’s Point Loma Nazarene University, died at the scene of the accident.

Riley’s father, Mark, said laws regarding DUIs should be strengthened, noting, “We have a cultural problem, so what has to happen, is the law has to be put in perspective with what is happening. These are murders. These are not accidents. These are willful incidents. Unfortunately, they keep happening.”

Our attorneys at Ritter & Associates, who provide legal services for our clients in San Diego or other areas in California, handle personal injury accident cases involving product liability, motor vehicle accidents, pool accidents, auto accidents, and premises liability, among others. Call our offices today at (619) 296-0123.