Vehicular Manslaughter Suspect Released from Jail

A man accused of causing a crash that claimed the life of a 23-year-old Diamond Bar resident is walking free today.

Sheng-Ting Shih, 32, of Walnut, posted the $130,000 bail set by a Los Angeles Superior Court commissioner on Tuesday.

According to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Jail records, Shih was released at 9:22 p.m. on May 2.

Shih faces three felony charges from the crash Sunday on the 60 Freeway that claimed the life of 23-year-old George Derkrikorian. According to court records, Shih has been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence causing injury, and driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 percent.

He had a blood alcohol level of nearly twice that legal limit, .15 percent or more, according to court documents.

The crash happened just after 2 a.m. on the eastbound 60 Freeway west of Brea Canyon Road in Diamond Bar, California Highway Patrol officers said. Caltrans crews had closed the carpool and fast lane for work, forcing traffic to slow and merge into the slower lanes.

A 2006 Toyota, driven by Shaliah Atkins, was in the number two lane while a 2011 Chevrolet driven by Valerie Garcia was in the number three -- or slow -- lane. Both vehicles were traveling at no more than 10 miles per hour. Derkrikorian, in a 2001 Ford, was forced to slow behind the Chevrolet, officials said.

Shih was speeding when he approached the scene, CHP officers said. He realized too late that traffic was slowing and slammed his 2012 BMW into Derkrikorian’s Ford. The crash propelled Derkrikorian’s Ford into the rear of a Chevrolet in front of him and into the right side of a Toyota, according to the CHP.

Derkrikorian died at the scene. Shih’s passenger, Nancy Yinan Lane, 30, was treated at San Dimas Community Hospital, according to the CHP.

Shih’s arraignment, originally scheduled for May 1, has been postponed to June 5.