Man charged with manslaughter in August crash of car into Downey home that killed a grandmother

DOWNEY — A Maywood resident has been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence of alcohol for allegedly crashing into a Downey home in the middle of the night, killing a 73-year-old grandmother and injuring her granddaughter as they slept last month, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.

Ryan Mota, 24, was charged in a Sept. 5 warrant with one felony count each of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage causing injury and driving with a 0.08% blood alcohol concentration or more causing injury in connection with the crash that killed Agia Guirguis and left her 24-year-old granddaughter injured, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

The charges include allegations that he had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.15% or more, refused to take a chemical test, inflicted great bodily injury on the victims and caused bodily injury or death to more than one victim.

Authorities said Guirguis was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which occurred at about 2:30 a.m. Aug. 16 in the 9500 block of Gallatin Road, just west of the Santa Ana (5) Freeway.

Mota was arrested within less than an hour after the crash, but was released four days later without a case being immediately filed against him, according to jail records.

In a statement announcing the charges, District Attorney Nathan Hochman said, “There is no excuse for driving under the influence. My heart goes out to the victims and their families who experienced an unimaginable waking nightmare. For anyone thinking about driving drunk, be warned: Prosecutors will hold you fully accountable for the harm and suffering you cause.”

Mota could face up to 13 years and eight months in state prison if convicted as charged, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

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