Crime & Safety

Man Headed to Jail for Crash That Killed Cyclist

Jose Luis Huerta Mundo of Garden Grove pleaded guilty to misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter for the July accident in Newport Beach.

A Garden Grove man was sentenced to 360 days in jail on Monday after he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter for a July accident in Newport Beach that killed a bicyclist, court records show.

Jose Luis Huerta Mundo, 38, was set to face retrial this month on the manslaughter charge in the accident that killed bicyclist Michael Nine, 43. Instead, Mundo pleaded guilty. A mistrial had been declared in November, when the jury deadlocked at 10-2 for guilt, Deputy District Attorney Hope Morgan said at the time.

Mundo, a gardener, was driving his work truck about 7:30 a.m. on July 15 when he collided with Nine near Spyglass Hill Road and Harbor Ridge Drive, authorities said.

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Mundo was making a left turn, but then aborted it, cutting off a group of cyclists. Nine lost control and crashed into the truck head first.

In November, Mundo pleaded guilty to misdemeanor driving without a valid license.

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— City News Service


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