Crime & Safety

Driver in Crosswalk Death Gets 1 Year in Jail

Bowen Du pleaded guilty to misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter last month in the crosswalk death of an Arcadia teen.

The driver of the Lexus that was sentenced Tuesday to a year in county jail, the Pasadena Star-News reported.

Bowen Du, 20, to misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter in the student's death and reckless driving that resulted in a skull fracture, among other serious injuries, to her companion, Priyanka Patel.

Du's attorney, Evan P. Freed, told the Star-News that his client will serve 180 consecutive days in Montebello City Jail, as prosecutors agreed that would be equivalent to a one-year jail sentence.

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Du was also sentenced to five years of unsupervised probation and must attend a driver safety course and complete 40 days of community labor, according to the Star News.

The November plea came as part of a deal with prosecutors, who originally charged the Pasadena City College student and U.S. Army Reservist with felony vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.

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said Du's "excessively dirty" windshield, combined with glare from the setting sun, contributed to the accident, which took place in the 600 block of Duarte Road.

Zhang's April death stunned the community, prompting a group of in an effort to bring attention to theshe died in.  accusing officials of not having addressed issues with the crosswalk prior to this incident.

According to the suit and two claims filed in October on behalf of Patel, the flashing yellow lights governing the crosswalk are confusing and difficult for motorists to see in certain conditions.

A claim is considered a precursor to a lawsuit, and City Manager Don Penman told the Star-News that a formal suit has yet to be filed in Patel's case.


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