Drunk Driver Sentenced to 19 Years for Fatal Hit-and-Run After Fleeing Crash Scene

A California man received a sentence of 19 years to life in prison for a fatal car crash that occurred after he ran a red light at nearly 80 mph and then fled the scene. Shane Shahan, convicted of second-degree murder, hit-and-run resulting in death, and driving with a suspended license, was sentenced on Tuesday. Evidence presented at his trial included video footage showing Shahan looking back at the wreckage and a dying passenger before he ran away.

Authorities located Shahan in a nearby neighborhood shortly after the 2023 incident, where officers noted he smelled of alcohol, was profusely sweating, and spoke erratically. Shahan had a history of alcohol-related driving convictions from 2016 and 2017 and was on probation for a 2017 DUI at the time of the crash. The collision involved his Chevrolet Colorado striking a Hyundai Elantra, resulting in the death of 35-year-old passenger Jesse Espino, who succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

Prosecutors highlighted Shahan's multiple "selfish decisions," including his failure to call 911 despite possessing a cellphone. Jesse Espino's family expressed profound grief in court, with his sister Crystal Espino stating their lives are irrevocably changed and his father Edward Espino describing the lasting trauma of seeing his son motionless. Jurors deliberated for less than an hour before convicting Shahan, who had marijuana in his system in addition to alcohol.