One holdout juror forced a mistrial today for a Poway man accused of drunken driving and causing the crash that killed a woman riding in the back of an SUV near University Town Center last year, according to a published report.
John Sedej, 46, will be retried on charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and two counts of driving under the influence of alcohol, prosecutors said.
After a four-week trial, jurors returned saying they were hopelessly deadlocked, 11-1 for guilt.
The judge urged both sides to try to negotiate for a plea bargain before the next court hearing, on Monday.
Sedej is charged in connection with the July 13, 2007, crash, at La Jolla Village Drive and Genesee Avenue that took the life of 28-year-old Nancy Galeana-Ramirez.
Two other women riding in the 2000 Ford Expedition -- the victim's aunt and mother -- were injured in the 1:20 a.m. crash, as was Sedej, who was driving an Acura SUV.
The father of two faces up to 13 years in state prison if convicted.
Defense attorney Geoffrey Morrison said his client didn't run the red light as he turned from southbound Genesee onto La Jolla Village.
Speeds of the vehicles involved in the crash were also at issue, Morrison said.
