During the sentencing hearing of Courtney Fritz Pandolfi, a California woman who pleaded guilty to driving impaired and fatally striking a pregnant woman, the victim’s husband, James Alvarez, delivered an emotional impact statement while holding their “miracle” child. The victim, 23-year-old Yesenia Lisette Aguilar, was 35 weeks pregnant when she was hit by a Jeep driven by Pandolfi in Anaheim, California in August 2020. Aguilar died from her injuries, but doctors performed an emergency C-section to save her unborn baby. Alvarez, along with their now 3-year-old daughter, attended Pandolfi’s sentencing on April 12. During his statement, Alvarez called on Pandolfi to seek forgiveness and get addiction help but also expressed the hope that she would be reminded daily of the sorrow her actions have caused.
Pandolfi, who had three prior DUI convictions, was driving under the influence of “numerous drugs” when the fatal crash occurred. At her sentencing, she was sentenced to 15 years to life after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including second-degree murder and a felony count of driving under the influence of a drug causing injury. Prosecutors described the collision, stating that after Pandolfi’s vehicle jumped the curb and hit Aguilar, she continued to drive on the sidewalk without braking or taking evasive action until the Jeep was disabled. District Attorney Todd Spitzer highlighted Aguilar’s final act to protect her unborn baby, which led to the birth of a little girl who will grow up knowing her mother’s sacrifice. Spitzer emphasized the consequences of driving under the influence and the lives lost due to such actions.
During Friday’s hearing, Pandolfi expressed regret and apologized to the victim’s family, acknowledging the lives she affected and the tragedy she caused due to her “complete selfishness.” She was high on a “drug cocktail” of cocaine and methamphetamine at the time of the fatal crash and had a history of driving under the influence of drugs, including morphine and methamphetamine. For her prior DUI convictions, Pandolfi received a Watson advisement, warning her of the consequences of causing a deadly collision while driving under the influence. The district attorney’s office emphasized the impact of Pandolfi’s actions, not as abstract numbers but as lives lost and families forever changed.
Alvarez, in his emotional victim impact statement, urged Pandolfi to see the face of his wife in their daughter and understand the magnitude of the loss she caused. He described the pain of raising their daughter without her mother and emphasized the void left by Aguilar’s absence. The little girl, Adalyn Rose, will grow up without her mother, only knowing her through pictures and memories. Alvarez expressed his desire for Pandolfi to internalize the grief and suffering she has caused, emphasizing the irreparable damage done to their family. Throughout the sentencing hearing, the focus remained on the profound loss experienced by Aguilar’s loved ones and the impact of Pandolfi’s actions on their lives.
The tragic incident on August 11, 2020, in Anaheim serves as a poignant reminder of the devastating consequences of driving under the influence of drugs. The sentencing of Courtney Fritz Pandolfi to 15 years to life in prison represents accountability for her actions that led to the loss of Yesenia Lisette Aguilar and the forever altered lives of her family. The emotional testimony from James Alvarez, holding his young daughter, underscores the long-lasting impact of Pandolfi’s decision to drive impaired that fateful day. As the community mourns the loss of a young mother and the struggles faced by her surviving family members, the hope is that this tragedy serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of driving under the influence and the importance of taking responsibility for one’s actions.
