Medford, Ore. – A man was sentenced for his part in a crash that seriously injured a motorcyclist and his passenger.
The Jackson County District Attorney’s Office said Jose Guadalupe Medina-Galan will spend the next eight-and-a-half years behind bars for two counts of assault, one count of driving under the influence of intoxicants and one count of resisting arrest.
Medina-Galan had no criminal history before he lost control of his pickup on Sunday, August 20 in the area of North Foothill Road near East Vilas Road. The vehicle crossed the center line and slid sideways, crashing into a oncoming motorcycle.
Prosecutors said Medina-Galan stopped near the crash, but only to let two passengers out of his vehicle. He continued driving on North Foothill until the pickup stopped over a mile away due to damage sustained in the crash.
When Medina-Galan was found uninjured by deputies, he was combative and visibly intoxicated, according to the D.A.’s office. Investigators later determined the man’s blood alcohol content was 0.12% 1.5 hours after the collision.
The motorcycle’s 28-year-old driver was seriously injured in the crash, sustaining a broken femur that required a metal rod implant to stabilize his leg. His 27-year-old passenger’s extensive injuries included an amputation to her left arm at the shoulder and the amputation of her left leg above the knee, prosecutors said.
On October 11, Medina-Galan was sentenced by Judge David Hoppe to 102 months in the custody of the Oregon Department of Corrections with three years of post-prison supervision. He was also ordered to pay restitution.
Both victims were at Medina-Galan’s plea and sentencing. The woman told the court she hoped Medina-Galan could learn the value of life and come out of this stronger, not bitter.
Medina-Galan wouldn’t look at the victims when he apologized for his actions with the judge’s prompting.
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