Courtney Fritz Pandolfi: Woman with 3 DUI’s pleads guilty to the murder of woman she hit with her vehicle
ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: A woman from Orange County, California, who had a history of driving under the influence of drugs, admitted to killing a pregnant woman with her car in 2020.
Courtney Fritz Pandolfi, 44, of Garden Grove, entered a guilty plea on Tuesday, February 6, for the death of Yesenia Lisette Aguilar, a 23-year-old woman who was eight months pregnant when Pandolfi struck her with her white Jeep SUV on a sidewalk in Anaheim.
Courtney Fritz Pandolfi drove on the sidewalk for 100 yards without applying brakes
According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Pandolfi was high on multiple narcotics when she veered off the road and hit Aguilar, around 7 30 pm on August 11, 2020.
She was walking with her husband, James Alvarez, on Katella Avenue near Bayless Street, KTLA reported.
Pandolfi did not stop or swerve, but continued to drive on the sidewalk for more than 100 yards until her vehicle broke down, officials said.
She barely missed Alvarez, who was not injured. Aguilar, who was about 35 weeks pregnant, was taken to UC Irvine Medical Center, where she died.
Doctors, however, managed to save her baby, a girl named Adalyn Rose, by performing a cesarean section.
Courtney Fritz Pandolfi faces 15 years to life in prison
Pandolfi pleaded guilty to murder, felony driving under the influence of drugs and misdemeanor driving with a suspended license.
She also pleaded guilty to three more misdemeanors for driving under the influence of drugs in November 2019.
She is scheduled to be sentenced on April 12 and could face up to 15 years to life in prison, according to LA Times.
“This is a woman who made a habit of driving while high,” Orange County District Attorney, Todd Spitzer said in a statement. “She was warned over and over again about the dangers of her actions. She knew it was wrong, but she decided that being high was more important than the life of a young woman who was just weeks away from becoming a mother for the first time,” Spitzer added.
Pandolfi had previous convictions for driving under the influence of drugs in 2008, 2015 and 2016, authorities said.
James Alvarez thanks Courtney Fritz Pandolfi for taking responsibility
On Tuesday, February 6, Alvarez and his daughter, Adalyn Rose, who is now three years old, were present in the courtroom when Pandolfi admitted her guilt. reports said.
Alvarez gave an emotional testimony, saying he was grateful that Pandolfi took responsibility for her actions, ABC 7 reported. “It’s been a long three years,” he said, holding his daughter, as per the outlet.
“I am just thankful that you finally took the responsibility for your actions,” he said, addressing Pandolfi directly.
“It has been an emotional rollercoaster for me. At least now I am able to move forward and heal from this,” he said, as per The Orange County Register.
Pandolfi’s defense attorney Frederick Fascenelli said that his client was moved by Alvarez’s empathy.
Fascenelli said Alvarez spoke in court on Tuesday, February 6, and thanked the defendant “for taking responsibility for her conduct” by pleading guilty.
“My client accomplished today what she wanted to do, which was to spare the family the additional grief and heartache of a trial,” Fascenelli said.
“She recognizes it was a tragic situation of her making,” Spitzer said that Aguilar’s memory will live on through her beautiful little girl.
“But that little girl is growing up without ever being able to hug her mother or hear her voice because a stranger decided to make the selfish decision to get behind the wheel while high on drugs,” he added.
