Santa Barbara man formally charged in fatal Goleta crash
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce E. Dudley announced Thursday that a felony complaint has been filed against the Santa Barbara man involved in a fatal DUI crash in Goleta.
The crash happened Tuesday evening around 7:30 p.m. on Cathedral Oaks Road west of Camino Cascada.
California Highway Patrol officers investigated and determined 31-year-old Andrew Raymond Burgher had been driving at high speeds while under the influence when he violently struck the rear end of a 2002 Ford Mustang on Cathedral Oaks.
The impact reportedly sent the Mustang spinning until it collided with two parked cars.
Both the driver of the Ford, identified as 40-year old Gilberto Arteaga-Gutierrez of Santa Barbara, and his passenger, 45-year old Silvia Manzo Velasco of Lompoc, died at the scene.
Burgher sustained minor injuries and was checked for intoxication before being arrested.
Burgher is now charged with two counts of murder and one count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated per Vehicle Code section 191.5(a) alleging that Burgher had previously been convicted within the meaning of Penal Code section 191.5(d).
The District Attorney's Office explained that Penal Code section 191.5(d), also known as "Courtney's Law," was enacted to stiffen the penalties assigned to repeat DUI offenders in the event a future DUI results in the loss of a life.
The DA confirmed Burgher was previously convicted twice for misdemeanor DUI.
Additionally, Burgher faces charges for personally inflicting great bodily injury and proximately causing death or bodily injury to more than one victim.
Burgher appeared in Santa Barbara Superior Court Department 8 on Thursday.
His case is scheduled for arraignment at 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 3.
Burgher was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail where his bail was set at $2,050,000.
