The Multnomah County District Attorney’s office announced a 24-month prison sentence to the man who killed 21-year-old Robert Esparza in 2016.
According to a statement released this afternoon, 75-year-old Alex Jacoby was driving his Corvette nearly 80 mph when as raced down NE Glisan Street in the early morning hours. Esparza was in a marked Gresham-Fairview Trail crossing prior to the collision.
“During the investigation, the East County Vehicular Crimes Team learned that moments prior to the crash,” reads the statement, “The defendant had aggressively challenged two other drivers to a street race. When he was unable to convince those other drivers to race, Jacoby sped off at a very high rate of speed.”
Multnomah County Chief Deputy District Attorney Kirsten Snowden, who prosecuted this case, said Esparza would not have been hit if Jacoby was driving the speed limit of 40 mph.
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Several of Esparza’s family members addressed the court at the sentencing hearing. “We as a family live with Mr. Jacoby’s mistake every day, every weekend, every holiday,” said Simon Esparza, Robert’s father. “We wake up missing our son, brother and uncle. We go to bed wondering why we won’t see him tomorrow. Sadly, these questions are answered without response.”
In addition to prison time, Jacoby will have his driver’s license permanently revoked and will have to pay for than $82,000 in restitution to the Esparza family.
Read more about this case via The Oregonian.
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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