(Woodland, CA) – June 2, 2020 – On June 2, 2020, 35-year-old Sacramento resident, Shane Carlyle, was sentenced by the Honorable David Reed to 19 years 8 months in State Prison. On February 24, 2020, Carlyle pled No Contest to felony counts of Gross Vehicular Manslaughter and Driving Under The Influence Of Drugs after he had caused the death of a 5-year-old boy.
On June 18, 2019, Carlyle was driving recklessly on I-5 from Sacramento to Woodland. Carlyle drove at high speeds, dodged in-and-out of traffic, and lane split between another car and a big-rig on a bridge before crashing into the victims’ truck. Inside of the truck were four children and two adults who had just spent a summer day at the Sacramento River fishing and playing. Once Carlyle crashed into the truck it went over a 20-foot embankment. Every passenger sustained injuries. Sadly, Luis Figueroa Jr., just 5-years old, was killed. Carlyle showed signs of being under the influence and his blood tested positive for high levels of methamphetamine.
This case was prosecuted by one of Yolo County’s specialized Deputy District Attorneys who are working to stem impaired driving through prosecution, education, and community outreach. Under a grant from the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), these prosecutors provide training to law enforcement on identifying impaired drivers, educate members of the community about impaired driving, and do community outreach to increase awareness of the dangers of impaired driving. Yolo County’s OTS program is one of the most progressive programs in the state, with a strong focus on education and prevention. These prosecutors teach at educational events and take an active role in preventing driving under the influence by engaging the community through high school trials, college outreach, and other community events.
District Attorney Jeff Reisig said “The Figueroa family has lost a piece of their hearts. Luis Jr. was described as a kind, sweet little-boy who always watched out for his twin sister. Mr. Carlyle’s reckless and selfish actions that evening cost the life of a child, the memories for a family, and hearts of the Woodland community. Driving under the influence of drugs is not a victimless crime and we can only hope that this sentence serves as a deterrent and saves someone else’s life in the future; in the meantime, we must remember and mourn Luis.”
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