FRESNO – The woman responsible for the death of Yosemite High School graduate Matthew Harkenrider in a deadly DUI crash on Aug. 14, 2014, was sentenced this morning to 13 years in prison, reports KSEE24 in Fresno.
Roberta Lynn Soto, 45, of Kingsburg, originally pleaded not guilty to the charges on Aug. 22, as a judge, officers and attorneys gathered in her hospital room to arraign her on charges of vehicular manslaughter.
Fresno police say Soto was speeding, and driving a stolen Kia Sorento while high on methamphetamine when she ran a red light at Herndon and Fresno, killing 26-year-old Matthew Harkenrider and causing a multi-car pileup. Six others were injured in the crash.
Soto changed her plea to guilty on charges of manslaughter and auto theft in the death of Harkenrider, who was a well-loved radiology technician at Community Regional Medical Center.
Matthew graduated from Yosemite High and his family lives in the Oakhurst area. He left behind a wife who was expecting at the time of his death, and a 7-year-old daughter.
