Man sentenced in fatal drunk-driving crash at Fresno taco truck. He had 2 prior DUIs

A Fresno man with two previous drunk driving convictions was sentenced to 15-years-to-life for the 2021 fatal crash that pinned a 60-year-old man against a taco truck.

Rolando Enrique Alvarenga-Aguilar, 48, was convicted of murder, driving under the influence causing injury, and hit and run involving the death of Sabas Ruiz-Galavez.

Police said Alvarenga-Aguilar was driving his 1998 Ford Econoline van on Oct. 9, 2021 in a parking lot near Maple and Belmont avenues when he began approaching the parked Tacos El Bello food truck.

For an unknown reason, the driver suddenly accelerated, hitting Ruiz-Galavez and another customer who were seated at a table.

Ruiz-Galavez was pinned between Alvarenga-Aguilar’s van and the taco truck, sustaining serious injuries. He was taken to Community Regional Medical Center where he died nine days later from a stroke.

The other crash victim, a woman in her 40s, received minor injuries, including a scraped arm and knee.

Alvarenga-Aguilar ran from the scene, but was found by police in a nearby neighborhood. During the investigation, police discovered Alvarenga-Aguilar had a blood alcohol concentration of .20%, which is two-and-a-half times the legal limit for operating a vehicle.

Alvarenga-Aguilar has two previous convictions for driving under the influence, in 2018 and 2019. He was still on probation for the 2019 DUI conviction at the time of the 2021 fatal crash.

Instead of a trial, the defendant pleaded no contest to the charges on May 14, 2024. He was defended by Marina Pincus with the public defender’s office. Prosecuting the case was Steven Ueltzen, a senior deputy district attorney.

Had the defendant gone to trial and a jury found him guilty of all the charges he faced a maximum of 19 years and eight months in prison.