Woman Gets 47 Years to Life for Fatal Pomona Crash

A woman who was released from jail one day before she caused a fiery car crash that killed a man and his pregnant girlfriend in Pomona was sentenced today to 47 years to life in state prison.

Lorraine Martinez, 27, was convicted March 21 of three counts of second- degree murder and one count of unlawful driving or taking of a vehicle.

The murder charges stemmed from the Aug. 1, 2011, deaths of Miguel Herrera, 22, his pregnant girlfriend, Desiree Grajeda, 17, and their unborn son.

Authorities said Martinez was driving east on Holt Avenue -- just east of Garey Avenue -- at a high rate of speed when she broadsided the victims' 1995 Nissan Maxima, which was turning left into a restaurant, just before 1:45 a.m. The impact tore the car in two, causing it to strike a light pole and then burst into flames.

The 2008 Infiniti G37 that Martinez was driving had been taken from an acquaintance, 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. She served two days of the 90-day county jail term to which she had been sentenced in that case.