Repeatedly convicted DUI driver sentenced in murder of pregnant Anaheim woman
SANTA ANA, Calif. - Courtney Fritz Pandolfi, a repeat DUI driver convicted of murder in the death of Yesenia Aguilar, who was eight months pregnant at the time, was sentenced on Friday.
Pandolfi, 44, was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. She pleaded guilty Feb. 6 to second-degree murder and a felony count of driving under the influence of a drug causing injury, along with misdemeanor counts of driving on a suspended or revoked license due to a DUI, driving under the influence of a drug and possession of drug paraphernalia. She also pleaded guilty to drug charges while in custody, according to Deputy District Attorney Brian Orue.
The couple's infant daughter miraculously survived the crash after being delivered through an emergency C-section following Aguilar's death. The little girl, now three years old, joined her father in the Santa Ana courtroom Friday.
James Alvarez, the widower of Yesenia Aguilar, delivered a heart-wrenching victim impact statement detailing the profound impact of his wife's tragic death caused by Pandolfi. Alvarez described the devastation of losing his wife and unborn child just two days before she was set to achieve her dream of becoming a licensed cosmetologist.
Alvarez described the joy and anticipation they shared during Yesenia's pregnancy, detailing their two-year struggle to conceive and the excitement of expecting their first child together. He highlighted Yesenia's deep desire to be a mother and their shared excitement upon learning they would have a daughter.
He also talked about his struggle to fill the void left by his wife's absence and his anguish over raising their daughter without her mother. "What kills me is I can never fill that void. And I never will. I'll do my best."
He expressed the pain of celebrating their daughter's birthday on the same day Yesenia died and lamented that his daughter would never know her mother beyond pictures and memories.
Yesenia Aguilar (left) and daughter holding her late mother's photo (right).
He urged Pandolfi to seek forgiveness and change, emphasizing the irreplaceable loss they inflicted on his family.
Pandolfi had three previous DUI convictions, and one pending DUI involving drugs, when she got behind the wheel of her white Jeep SUV on Aug. 11, 2020 and jumped the curb onto an Anaheim sidewalk.
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Pregnant Aguilar was walking and holding hands with her husband on Katella Ave. near Bayless St. in Orange County around 7:30 p.m.
Pandolfi drove down the sidewalk and crashed into a metal newspaper stand. Despite the collision, Pandolfi continued down the sidewalk, where she hit Aguilar without braking or turning the vehicle, according to officials.
The 44-year-old was under the influence of a drug cocktail, including cocaine, methamphetamine and morphine, when she hit and killed Aguilar.
"This was not an accident. This is a woman who made a habit of driving while high. She was warned over and over again about the dangers of her actions," said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. "She knew it was wrong, but she decided that being high was more important than the life of a young woman who was just weeks away from becoming a mother for the first time."
In addition to her murder charge, Pandolfi also pleaded guilty to two drug-related charges while she was incarcerated awaiting trial.
"Yesenia’s memory will live on through her beautiful, little girl," said Spitzer. "But that little girl is growing up without ever being able to hug her mother or hear her voice because a stranger decided to make the selfish decision to get behind the wheel while high on drugs."