The mothers of two young men who were killed in La Jolla by their intoxicated driver are outraged upon learning that he is serving his eight-year sentence in a fire camp.
The California Department of Corrections has confirmed that Peter John Meno, now 29, has been assigned to one of 35 fire camps in the state, which is jointly operated with Cal Fire, the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Pamela Cate, the mother of Matthew “Max” Cate, 19, of Vista, has been writing to public officials asking for reasons why Meno has been allowed to be in the fire camp, saying “We were told he would be ineligible.”
Max Cate and Jaden Rowley, 22, of Oceanside, were killed on Nov. 22, 2020, when Meno made a left-hand turn onto Girard Avenue from Torrey Pines Road at 3:15 a.m. while Meno was looking for a taco shop.
One issue is the jury acquitted Meno of two counts of gross negligence in the crash. This enhancement would have added three years to the sentence, thus making him ineligible for fire camp because inmates must not have sentences longer than eight years.
The nine-man, three-woman jury convicted Meno of two counts of vehicular manslaughter. They acquitted him of making an unsafe lane change. He lost control of his Nissan Altima at the turn, crashed into two trees and his front tire flew off.
“I just cannot believe everything that we went through,” said Cate. “He spent less than three months in actual prison being moved to the fire camp.”
Neicy Rowley, mother of Jaden Rowley, said it felt like a personal betrayal because Meno had dinner with the family several times. Afterwards, she permitted him to see her son’s body privately before the funeral, adding “I wanted him to see what he had done.” She had hoped for the maximum term.
The defense argued the two victims in the car were also intoxicated and stuck their heads out the windows, distracting Meno. One passenger was struck in the head by a tree.
“I cannot let this injustice happen to my son or Jaden Rowley,” said Cate. “The system needs to be held accountable for its actions and this can’t keep happening to other families.”
Inmates convicted of violent felonies are generally forbidden to participate in fire camps, but there are exceptions. Cate complained to the Department of Corrections because Meno was convicted of two deaths.
The ombudsman for the Dept. of Corrections said Meno’s case was evaluated “in a case-by-case review in accordance with our policies.” They found that Meno “meets the criteria for placement in a fire camp setting,” according to the ombudsman’s letter.
“This review was reviewed by headquarters and found to be within the policies and he was placed into the fire camp setting,” wrote the ombudsman.
It is up to the Department of Corrections to determine who goes to fire camp – not judges or prosecutors, but there are criteria, such as:
*inmate must be serving eight years or less;
*no rape, sex offenses, arson, murder, escape history;
*must be physically fit with no chronic medical issues;
*no high-notoriety cases;
*must have “minimum custody” status or good behavior in prison, ability to follow rules;
*must volunteer to work.
The work at fire camps is demanding, but one of the perks is that inmates get enhanced credits of two additional days off their sentence for every day they serve on a fire crew, according to the Department of Corrections website.
Meno’s earliest release on parole is set for March 2027, according to the Dept. of Corrections. However, the longer he serves at a fire camp, the more credits he accumulates which could accelerate his release.
Fire camp inmates earn between $2.90 and $5.13 per day, depending on their skill level, by the Dept. of Corrections. They are also eligible for employment with Cal Fire after their release.
Participants also work in other jobs such as cooks, laundry workers, landscapers, and water treatment plant operators.
The families of both victims spoke out when Meno was sentenced on March 3 by San Diego Superior Court Judge Evan Kirvin. Ultimately, the fault goes to Meno for driving while intoxicated and driving with a suspended license. It was suspended because he had too many speeding tickets, and the victims did not know that.
