Man Sentenced to Six Years in Jeep v. Motorcycle Death

After a plea of “guilty” to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, Raul Gonzalez, 49, was sentenced to six years in state prison, Santa Barbara County District Attorney John Savrnoch announced today.

Gonzalez had been driving his Jeep down North Salsipuedes Street near Ortega Park around 2 p.m. on November 27, 2021, when he rear-ended motorcyclist Kenneth Warfield Sterling Sr., 78, so hard that Sterling flew 85 feet and his motorcycle slid halfway down the block. Sterling was pronounced dead at the scene.

Savrnoch thanked the Santa Barbara Police Department and the prosecution team led by Deputy District Attorney Michelle Mossembekker for their outstanding work. “This tragic case illustrates the awful consequences of driving under the influence of alcohol. Kenneth Sterling, an innocent victim, lost his life and Raul Gonzalez has lost his freedom. Both of these consequences could have been avoided if the defendant had chosen not to drive while under the influence,” Savrnoch said.