After 2 1/2 days of deliberations, a jury on June 25 convicted a young drunk driver of second-degree murder in the deaths of his passengers who were killed in 2022 off Torrey Pines Road.
The jury returned their verdicts against Christopher Ray Schmittel, now 21, after re-hearing his testimony in his trial in the deaths of Joshua Manzanares, 19, and Johnny Punzalan, 19, both of Lake Elsinore.
Jurors also convicted Schmittel of two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and all other charges involving injuries to the surviving passengers in the April 25, 2022, incident.
Schmittel faces a maximum sentence of 30 years to life in state prison. He remains in the South Bay Detention Facility without bail.
“After a long and thoughtful deliberation by the jury, justice has been delivered for Joshua Manzanares and Johnny Punzalan,” said Deputy District Attorney Hailey Williams afterward.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Lisa Rodriguez set sentencing for July 25. The judge could impose two terms of 15 years to life for each victim and run them consecutive or concurrent with each other.
“It’s disappointing,” said Schmittel’s attorney, Sean M. Jones, afterward. “It was a tough case.”
Jones argued for acquittal on the murder charges and said his client did not harbor the “wanton disregard” for human life, which is the definition of second-degree murder.
Schmittel was a professional motocross driver and was skilled. He testified about his driving. Jones argued his client committed ordinary negligence and not gross negligence.
Jurors had the option to acquit Schmittel of murder and convict him of gross vehicular manslaughter, but they chose to convict him of all counts. There were seven men and five women on the jury.
One surviving passenger testified that Schmittel said he felt OK to drive despite drinking alcohol.
Schmittel’s parents, who live in Riverside, attended the trial daily since it began with opening statements on June 11, but they were not able to be present to hear the verdict on Tuesday.
Jurors began deliberations on June 20. They re-heard testimony on June 21 and were off Monday before returning Tuesday.
