Valley widow talks about drunk driver who killed her husband

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Valley man's widow is talking about the convicted drunk driver who caused her husband's death.

Frank Winslow was on his way home from work nearly three years ago when a young woman driving on a suspended license rear ended his jeep. The impact sent his vehicle over an embankment killing him.

A jury convicted the driver Perla Vasquez of murder, but they could not reach a decision on other charges involving a prior DUI hit-and-run.

These charges would only have added possibly a year to the sentence Perla Vazquez is eligible to receive. She is already looking at 15 to 25 years to life, so Nancy Winslow says she is looking forward to Vazquez getting sentenced and heading to prison.

Nancy Winslow would have celebrated her 30 year anniversary with her husband Frank, this year, instead she is planning her speech and the words she plans to deliver to the woman who made her a widow.

Winslow was a little disappointed when she heard jurors were deadlocked on five charges related to a prior hit-and-run crash. But since the counts could potentially add up to a year to the sentence, she, along with deputy district attorney, Steve Wright agreed dismissing the charges, was appropriate.

Wright said, "If they were to re-try these charges, it would very likely delay the sentencing and what would happen thereon, and I definitely did not want that."

ABC30 Legal Analyst Tony Capozzi says the lesser charges were not worth pursuing, for several reasons.

"That's the right decision," explained Capozzi. "The DA and the county to prosecute again and have another trial would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and nothing would be gained. The sentence that she is going to receive now is not going to be any higher than if she were convicted of these other counts."

Getting through many days without tears is still tough for Nancy Winslow, but she is grateful jurors convicted Perla Vazquez on the most serious charges. For Nancy, since she has involuntarily become a widow, she feels it's only fair, Vazquez heads to prison as a murderer.

"This is murder, this is a violent crime," said Winslow. "He's just the last person that should not be here."

Vazquez will be sentenced next month. Several members of Winslow's family are planning to be there to address the court.