Father Pleads Not Guilty in Death of Toddler

VICTORVILLE-(VVNG.com):  The father of the child killed as a result of a Saturday morning traffic collision near Hesperia Lake Park was in court for an Arraignment hearing Wednesday morning.

David Jonathon Zuniga, 26 was arraigned at the Victorville Superior Court.  Zuniga denied all eleven charges against him, relating to the traffic collision that took the life of his two-year-old daughter and injured three of his other children.

Zuniga has been charged with one charge of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, DUI causing bodily injury, DUI: alcohol .08% or more causing bodily injury, three counts of causing bodily injury or death, four counts of child abuse and one count of willful harm/injury resulting in death.

The District Attorney’s felony complaint states that Zuniga was operating the vehicle with .08% or higher blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at the time of the collision. They further allege that these actions caused unjustifiable physical and/or mental suffering to all four children while in his custody.

Zuniga is scheduled to return to court for a pre-preliminary hearing on Thursday, April 14th and for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, April 19th.

San Bernardino District Attorney’s Spokesman Chris Lee told Victor Valley News that if Zuniga is convicted as charged, he will face up to 14  years in state prison.