Jury Finds Driver Guilty of Gross Vehicular Manslaughter in 2024 Wrong-Way Collision
VISALIA, CA – On the afternoon of February 6, 2026, a jury in Department 4 of the Tulare County Superior Court returned a guilty verdict against 22-year-old Saul Saldana Armenta. The defendant was convicted of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in connection with a collision that occurred in early 2024.
The incident took place at approximately 3:11 a.m. on April 24, 2024. According to evidence presented by the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office, Saldana Armenta was operating a Dodge Charger in the wrong direction on Highway 99 near Betty Drive in Goshen. While traveling southbound in the northbound fast lane, his vehicle collided head-on with a Honda Civic driven by a 21-year-old male. The victim, an electrician traveling to work, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Following the collision, Saldana Armenta displayed signs of intoxication and was transported to a hospital for surgery. Subsequent forensic testing determined his blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was 0.21%. Although the defendant had posted bail and remained out of custody leading up to the trial, he was immediately remanded into custody following the jury’s decision.
The conviction included an aggravating circumstance that the crime involved great bodily harm or the threat of great bodily harm. Records indicate the defendant had no prior criminal history. Sentencing is scheduled for March 5, 2026, where Saldana Armenta faces a maximum of ten years in state prison under California law. The California Highway Patrol conducted the initial investigation.
