The drunk driver who killed
L.A. Angels pitcher
Nick Adenhart last year in a high-speed crash just got the book thrown at him -- 51 years to LIFE in prison.
As we first reported, 24-year-old
Andrew Gallo (left) blew through a red light in his minivan in April '09 -- t-boning Nick's car ... killing Nick and two others.
Gallo was convicted on three counts of second-degree murder in September. According to the Orange County D.A., Gallo's BAC was nearly three times the legal limit.
Before being sentenced this AM, Gallo apologized to the victims' families.
A new twist in the death of Anaheim Angels pitcher
Nick Adenhart ... the woman driving the car he was in had been drinking shortly before the fatal accident.
We've learned the results of the postmortem toxicology tests on
Courtney Stewart -- the driver who died in the crash along with Adenhart -- were positive for alcohol. And, law enforcement sources tell us "an illegal substance" was also found, though the sources would not be more specific.
This information could be extremely important in the defense of
Andrew Gallo, the driver of the minivan that ran a light and struck the other car. Gallo was arrested for DUI and later charged with three counts of murder. We're told Gallo's lawyer is already honing in on the toxicology tests.
Andrew Gallo, the man behind the wheel of the van that killed
Nick Adenhart and two others, has been charged with three counts of murder.
He faces a maximum sentence of 55 years to life.
In addition to murder charges, Gallo is charged with driving under the influence and causing bodily injury, driving with a blood alcohol level above .08% and causing bodily injury, and fleeing the scene.
The Orange County D.A. says Gallo's blood alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit.
Gallo was driving on a suspended license because of a prior DUI. He fled the scene and was eventually arrested.
Jon Wilhite, who survived the car crash that killed Angels pitcher
Nick Adenhart and two others, is currently in a medically-induced coma.
Wilhite underwent surgery yesterday, in part to relieve pressure on his brain. He is suffering from severe head trauma, but we're told his injuries are survivable.
He is currently in critical but stable condition.
Andrew Gallo, the driver of the car that is believed to have caused the crash, is currently in custody and is expected to be charged sometime today.
UPDATE: Gallo has been booked for murder and gross vehicular manslaughter. Due to the counts, Gallo has been denied bail.
This is the booking photo of the man who may be responsible for the death of Angels pitcher
Nick Adenhart and two others in a horrible car crash yesterday.
Andrew Gallo is in custody and could be charged with murder, as well as vehicular manslaughter, felony hit and run and felony DUI.
The 3rd victim of the tragic car wreck that killed baseball star
Nick Adenhart has been identified as 25-year-old
Henry Nigel Pearson.
Henry, who was also a baseball enthusiast, was friends with the only survivor from the Mitsubishi --
Jon Wilhite.
According to reports, Pearson was a law student who wanted to be a sports agent.
The only survivor from the Mitsubishi that was involved in the brutal car crash that killed 3 people, including pro baseball player
Nick Adenhart, is currently in critical condition at the UC Irvine Medical Center.
We're told
Jon Wilhite, a former baseball star at Cal State Fullerton, is moving his legs, but is currently receiving treatment in the medical center's Intensive Care Unit.
TMZ just spoke with the Director of Athletics for
Cal. State Fullerton -- where Jon and the driver of the Mitsubishi, Courtney Stewart, went to school -- who just released this statement:
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of
Courtney Stewart and Jon Wilhite. The world of athletics is not equipped for these kinds of tragic events. We understand Jon is conscious and his injuries are not immediately life-threatening"
UPDATE: The first mugshot of
Andrew Gallo on the left is from an '06 arrest for being drunk in public. We also got our hands on court documents from his DUI, which was also in '06, in which Gallo wrote this haunting sentence:
"I understand that if I continue to drink and drive it may result in death or serious bodily injury to another person."
UPDATE: The middle pic of Gallo is his bloody mugshot from a March '07 arrest for drunk and disorderly conduct.
We've just obtained a photo of
Andrew Gallo, who was driving the van that caused the accident that killed
Nick Adenhart and two others.
Cops believe
Gallo was driving under the influence and on a suspended license because of a prior DUI. He fled the scene and was arrested. Gallo could be booked on murder charges, along with vehicular manslaughter,
hit-and-run and felony
DUI.
We just got photos of
Courtney Stewart, the driver of the Mitsubishi Eclipse in the fatal crash which killed
Nick Adenhart. Sadly, she also passed away.
Courtney, 20, a student at Cal State
Fullerton was also a member of Alpha Chi Omega. We spoke to a member of her sorority, who was inconsolable.
During the
Nick Adenhart press conference, a Fullerton PD spokesman said the man who caused the accident that killed Nick
and two others was under the influence of alcohol at the time.
The spokesman also said he believes the man, 22-year-old
Andrew Gallo, was also driving on a suspended license because of a prior DUI. The cop said Gallo will probably be booked on felony hit-and-run, felony DUI, vehicular manslaughter and possibly murder.
Also -- the Angels game tonight has been canceled.
The
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the family of
Nick Adenhart just released a joint statement on the tragic death of the 22-year-old starting pitcher:
Angels Baseball this morning announced the passing of right-hander Nick Adenhart, the victim of a fatal automobile accident in Fullerton, CA. Two other individuals were also killed in the incident.
Adenhart, 22, was a passenger in a silver Mitsubishi along with three others. Fullerton Police reported the Mitsubishi proceeded through an intersection, when a van ran a red light and broadsided the vehicle. A female driver and male passenger in the Mitsubishi were dead when police and fire department personnel arrived. Adenhart died as the result of his injuries at UCI Medical Center earlier this morning. No other members of the Angels organization were involved.
Adenhart pitched a masterful six innings in last night's game against Oakland (6 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 SO), leaving with a 4-0 lead before a late-inning rally resulted in a 6-4 Angels defeat.
