Sailor sentenced for deadly Coronado Bridge accident

SAN DIEGO — A U.S. Navy sailor whose pickup truck plunged off a bridge into a San Diego park, killing four people, has been sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison.

Richard Sepolio, who wore his Navy uniform, apologized for the crash during his sentencing Thursday.

Prosecutors said Sepolio was doing more than 80 mph when his truck plunged over the Coronado Bridge in October 2016. It dropped about 60 feet onto crowded Chicano Park.

Four people died and seven were injured.

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Prosecutors said the tragedy began with a sailor who had been drinking on Oct. 15, 2016, and was arguing with his girlfriend — now his wife — by cellphone when he tried to speed past another car on the San Diego-Coronado Bridge.

Prosecutors say Sepolio had been drinking and was arguing with his then-girlfriend by phone moments before the accident.

Sepolio testified that he lost control of the car while merging in traffic from a transition ramp.

The 27-year-old was convicted in February of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and DUI causing injury.

Navy Times: The AP lists him as a petty officer but provided no picture of him in uniform. At the time of the incident he was a third class aviation electronics technician.

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