Man convicted in student’s death

A Downey man has been found guilty of causing the fiery crash that killed a Cal State Long Beach student a year ago.

Kenneth John McNair, 22, was convicted Dec. 3 of killing 20-year-old Jose Pacheco after crashing into Pacheco’s car Nov. 16, 2008. McNair was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter by unlawful act with gross negligence while intoxicated and one misdemeanor count of driving without a valid license with a sentencing enhancement for fleeing the scene of a crime.

McNair faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in state prison at his sentencing Jan. 29 in Courtroom C-34 at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana. He pleaded not guilty in March to all charges.

McNair drank at his house with a friend before taking a taxi cab to a local bar the night of the accident. He then took a cab home, but got into his Honda sedan and drove to Sharkeez in Huntington Beach, where he had more drinks.

McNair then drove almost 90 mph on Goldenwest Street as he and a friend left the bar at 1:30 a.m. As McNair approached the intersection of Edinger Avenue and Goldenwest, he crashed into Pacheco’s Ford Mustang and sideswiped another car waiting at the red light.

— Britney Barnes