“Oceanside Man Sentenced to 89 Years for Shooting into Car, Killing Chelsea Pacheco: Details Inside”

An Oceanside man, Vicente Huerta, has been sentenced to 89 years to life in prison after being convicted of shooting into a car and killing a backseat passenger. The verdict was delivered by a Vista Superior Court jury earlier this year. Huerta, 26, was found guilty of firing at an occupied vehicle, personally discharging a firearm, and was also convicted on gun and gang allegations.

The jury deadlocked over the murder charge relating to the death of 22-year-old Chelsea Pacheco, although Huerta has been sentenced for the other charges. Prosecutors may still retry him for the murder charge.

The incident occurred on June 4, 2022, when Pacheco was in a car with friends in Oceanside. The driver pulled over at the intersection of Grant and Division streets, where an altercation took place between the driver and Huerta, who was standing on the sidewalk. Surveillance video captured the encounter, showing Huerta stepping into the street and firing shots at the fleeing car.

Tragically, one of the bullets pierced the backseat and struck Pacheco, who was unaware of her injury. Her friends called 911, believing she was experiencing a panic attack. Paramedics met them at Bush and Archer streets and transported Pacheco to the hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries.

Following an investigation, Huerta was identified as the prime suspect within two days. He was eventually located in Mexico two months later and extradited back to the United States. The trial began in September, approximately one year after the shooting occurred.

During the trial, defense attorney Alvaro Gonzalez argued that Huerta had acted in self-defense. Gonzalez claimed that Huerta, a known gang member, believed he was under imminent threat from the driver, who he alleged was a rival gang member carrying a weapon. Deputy District Attorney Matt Hardy countered these claims, stating that there was no evidence to support the presence of a weapon and highlighting Huerta’s movement towards the car as contradictory to a self-defense argument.

The sentencing was enhanced due to Huerta’s prior criminal history, resulting in a 25-year-to-life sentence for the gun allegation. Judge Dan Link was able to double this sentence and other terms due to Huerta’s existing strike on his record.

The tragic loss of Chelsea Pacheco serves as a reminder of the devastating impact of gun violence. While justice has been served for the other charges against Huerta, the prosecution’s decision to potentially retry him for the murder charge demonstrates their commitment to seeking accountability for Pacheco’s death.