A woman who was released from jail one day before she caused a fiery car crash in Pomona that killed a man and his pregnant girlfriend was convicted today of murder.
The Pomona Superior Court jury deliberated about two hours before finding 27-year-old Lorraine Martinez guilty of three counts of second-degree murder and one count of unlawful driving or taking of a vehicle, according to Deputy District Attorney Martin Bean.
Martinez, who is set to be sentenced April 16, is facing 45 years to life in state prison, the prosecutor said.
The murder charges stemmed from the deaths of Miguel Herrera, 22, his pregnant girlfriend, Desiree Grajeda, 17, and their unborn son, identified in the criminal complaint as "Baby Grajeda."
Authorities said Martinez was driving a 2008 Infiniti G37 east on Holt Avenue -- just east of Garey Avenue -- at a high rate of speed when it broadsided the 1995 Nissan Maxima turning left into a restaurant on Aug. 1, 2011. The impact tore the car in two, caused it to strike a light pole and then burst into flames.
The Infiniti had been taken from an acquaintance of Martinez, authorities said.
Martinez had been released from jail a day earlier after pleading no contest in a misdemeanor case in which she was charged with possession of methamphetamine and exhibiting a deadly weapon -- a pipe -- and served two days of the 90-day county jail term to which she had been sentenced.
