Man faces manslaughter charges after leaving car

A Chula Vista man faces 15 years in prison if he’s convicted of causing another driver’s death after he abandoned his Jeep on a freeway while allegedly drunk, a prosecutor said Monday.

David Armando Olvera, 29, has pleaded not guilty to charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in the June 17 death of Gregory Scott, 40, who struck Olvera’s abandoned vehicle.

Four vehicles including the one driven by Scott crashed into Olvera’s Jeep after he left it around 2:30 a.m. in a traffic lane on Interstate 15 just north of Friars Road. Olvera is also accused of drunk driving causing injury to another driver which hit his vehicle.

Olvera is also charged with hit and run with death and driving under the influence of alcohol with a .15 blood/alcohol level, according to the charges filed in San Diego Superior Court. Olvera has previously been convicted of two misdemeanor drunk driving charges in 2009 and 2007.

Deputy District Attorney Andrew Aguilar said Monday Olvera faces a sentence of 15 years to life if he is convicted of the charges. It is not known why Olvera left his vehicle. A preliminary hearing has been set for Sept. 11. Olvera remains in the George Bailey Detention Facility on $1 million bail.

Scott, of Spring Valley, was driving home following a late night hockey practice. He was a longtime employee of Crownair Aviation, and was the sole support of his wife Christy, and their two children, according to his gofundme.com page.