[PRpond]
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE - On August 14, 2017, Larry Martinez Guzman, aka Larry Guzman-Martinez, 33, of South Lake Tahoe was sentenced to 4 years and 8 months in state prison after pleading no contest to the charges of felony driving under the influence causing injury, felony assault, and hit and run. Guzman also admitted that he had a high blood alcohol content at the time of the collision and that he had previously been convicted of misdemeanor DUI charges within the last ten years.
As part of the plea, Guzman’s license was revoked for 5 years after his release from prison, and his vehicle was impounded. Guzman was sentenced on August 14th by the Honorable Suzanne N. Kingsbury in Department 3 of the El Dorado Superior Court.
On March18th, 2017, Guzman ran through a stop sign and drove into a man on a bicycle on Pioneer Trail and Midway Avenue in South Lake Tahoe. The collision launched the cyclist into the road and caused him to sustain lacerations and other minor injuries. Guzman then fled the location and was followed by a concerned citizen who witnessed the collision. After driving into a cul-de-sac, Guzman attempted to flee and then drove toward the witness’ vehicle, causing the concerned citizen to back up to avoid being struck.
That witness then called in a description of Guzman’s vehicle, and a South Lake Tahoe Police Department police officer later discovered his damaged vehicle parked in a residential area driveway. The officer then entered the location where Guzman’s vehicle was parked and found him inside. Guzman had an odor of alcohol, very slurred speech and other symptoms of alcohol intoxication. Guzman initially denied that he failed to assist the cyclist, claiming he had stopped to help but felt it was okay for him to leave the scene. Guzman-Martinez’s blood alcohol content reading taken later at the hospital was three times the legal limit. (.24%.)
