Closing arguments heard in Fresno woman's DUI murder trial

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- She drove drunk several times before, but now jurors have to decide whether a Fresno woman is guilty of murder for hitting and killing a man the last time she got behind the wheel drunk.

Perla Vazquez cried Thursday during closing arguments. Her attorney admitted she has made some terrible and tragic choices. The prosecutor said her admission of being an alcoholic is no defense for this crime.

The defense attorney said Vazquez may have been drinking that night, but felt she could safely operate a car. But the prosecutor said she signed off way before this crash, that if she drove drunk again, she could be charged with murder.

Jurors heard one last time Thursday about what Vazquez was doing before Frank Winslow's Jeep was rear-ended and ended up down an embankment. She was drinking. Her defense attorney said jurors must determine whether her mindset and what happened equals a murder conviction.

"Your job is not to seek justice, your job is one thing, to see if he did his job," said defense attorney Alan DeOcampo.

Prosecutor Steve Wright urged jurors to not make their choice based on sympathy, but the facts.

"It's abundantly clear, beyond a reasonable doubt that she knew, but she didn't care. On October 21st, 2011, she didn't care," said Wright.

Defense attorneys admitted there is no excuse for many of the poor decisions Vazquez has made. Her attorney, DeOcampo said she did not feel she was a danger to the public the night of the deadly crash. She testified Wednesday she spent two hours trying to sober up at Denny's after a concert, before she headed home.

"On October 21, 2011, was Miss Vazquez a murderer? That's the question, that's why we're here. We're not here to destroy her character, to make her look bad. Mr. Wright is right," said DeOcampo.

At times, the victim's family and the defendant's family wiped away tears as the attorneys reminded jurors of all of the evidence they heard over the past four weeks. Vazquez is facing up to life in prison if she is found guilty.

Jurors began deliberating Thursday afternoon for a short time. They will reconvene Monday.