On November 30, 2010, Jeffrey David Kirby appeared in a Santa Ana courthouse facing a gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated charge along with many other counts. The 53-year-old driver from Costa Mesa was involved in a Newport Beach car crash that led to a fatality last year.
On March 11, 2009, Kirby was driving his 1977 white Porsche in Newport Beach around 1 a.m., when he started racing a red Ferrari. The two cars were reported to be driving over 100 miles per hour when they crashed.
Sadly, the Ferrari was sent spinning and smashed into a concrete light pole, which tore the car in half and killed the driver instantly. The driver of the Ferrari was identified as Charles Lewis Jr., mixed-martial arts entrepreneur. His girlfriend was thrown from the car and landed on the sidewalk. She survived the crash with several serious injuries, including a shattered elbow, broken hip and broken vertebrae, among others.
Kirby said that he didn’t know he crashed into the Ferrari, instead believing he crashed into the curb when he spun out. When the police found him two hours after the accident, his blood alcohol level was .13. Kirby has admitted to driving drunk and has been charged with a DUI before.s had a prior DUI.
Kirby’s defense attorney is stating that Kirby did not kill Lewis, and that Lewis contributed to the crash by racing. However, toxicology reports did not show any alcohol or drugs in Lewis’s body the night of the fatal crash.
Kirby faces one count of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence while intoxicated, driving under the influence causing bodily injury, and sentencing enhancements for fleeing the scene of a crash and causing great bodily injury to multiple victims. If convicted of all these counts, he could face up to 19 years and eight months in state prison.
We are saddened to hear about this fatal crash and send our thoughts and condolences to the victim’s family and friends.
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