A man who initially faced a life sentence for allegedly killing another driver in an Oxnard road rage incident is now expected to serve only two years in state prison.
Court records show Peter John Codella, a 70-year-old Oxnard man, accepted a plea deal with the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office on April 13, the same day his jury trial was scheduled to start.
Despite initially pleading not guilty to murder and a felony hit-and-run with death, Codella has now pleaded guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter and fleeing the scene of a collision involving death, according to court records. The previous charges will be dismissed during the sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for June 17.
In an emailed statement, Senior Deputy District Attorney John Barrick wrote that although the victim’s family suffered an immeasurable loss, the stipulated sentence of two years was appropriate after evaluating the circumstances of the case, including Codella’s age and lack of previous criminal record.
“This was a just and fair outcome that will hold the defendant accountable while also protecting the public,” the prosecutor wrote.
Codella remains released on bond.
The case stems from an interaction between Codella and 53-year-old Matias Lopez of Oxnard on April 23, 2021.
The Oxnard Police Department said at the time that the two engaged in a verbal altercation over whether one or both of them had fully stopped at the four-way stop signs at the intersection of Mountain View and Pacific avenues. No collision occurred.
Witnesses said Lopez then stepped out of his vehicle, and Codella accelerated toward him and ran him over, according to the police department.
Responding officers said they found Lopez lying in the road, and he died from his injuries at a hospital on May 6, 2021.
Makena Huey is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at makena.huey@vcstar.com. This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation’s Fund to Support Local Journalism.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Oxnard man in 2021 fatal road rage incident accepts plea deal
Reporting by Makena Huey, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
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