Big breaking news from San Bernardino.
I’ve just been forwarded an email indicating that Patrick Michael Roraff has entered a guilty plea in the death of rising pro cyclist Jorge Alvarado.
According to the email from Velo Club LaGrange Race Program Director/Elite Men’s Team Manager Stu Press, Roraff pleaded guilty to charges today. He’d been charged with a single count of felony gross vehicular manslaughter with a maximum sentence of six years in state prison.
Alvarado was on a solo training ride on Greenspot Road in Highland, northeast of San Bernardino on April 8, 2010 when a car driven by Roraff went out of control while street racing and hit Alvardo, who died at the scene. Roraff later apologized for his actions.
The driver of the other car, Brett Michael Morin, was also charged in the same case; the San Bernardino County Court website indicates he’s scheduled for a disposition/reset hearing on August 15.
Roraff will be sentenced at 8:30 am on August 6th, in Department S26 of the San Bernardino County Court.
According to Press’ email, cyclists are encouraged to attend and make a brief (2 – 5 minute) victim impact statement stating how Alvarado’s death has impacted you. That can be anything from whether you knew him and suffered a direct loss, or if it has affected you in other ways, such as being afraid to ride for fear of similar incidents.
While his plea change suggests that a plea deal may be in place, a big turn out could still influence the sentence the judge imposes.
6 YRS??? 🙁 THATS IT? I THOUGHT 9 YRS FOR THE WOMAN THAT KILLED MY BROTHER WAS BAD….
instead of gambling on getting at most six years he’s obviously being offered significantly less then that to waive his right to trial. It isn’t six versus nine…… he may not be facing any prison time now.
Ridiculas….:(
Streets usually get charged with murder when they kill someone this is a very unusual case and I think this is very unjust to the victim.
[…] ever so briefly, like you were going to get the justice you deserved when Patrick Roraff finally changed his plea to guilty. Given the seriousness of the charges — felony vehicular homicide with gross negligence and a […]