La Quinta man sentenced for death of famed Hollywood director
A La Quinta man will undergo five years of informal probation after admitting to driving under the influence in a collision that killed an award-winning hollywood director, Marty Pasetta.
Keith Stewart, 75, entered guilty pleas to a pair of misdemeanor counts of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated without gross negligence and driving under the influence causing injury Wednesday.
Stewart was also ordered to take part in a DUI impact program.
The crash happened in May on the 49,700 block of Via Conquistador in the Rancho La Quinta Country Club.
Police said Stewart stopped to allow his passengers to get out of his car.
Stewart also got out but didn’t turn the engine off.
His car then hit the two passengers.
Pasetta, 82, of LaQuinta died minutes after being hit.
Stewart’s other passenger also suffered serious injuries.
Stewart was treated for minor injuries related to the crash and then arrested.
Pasetta was a well-known director of live television events, including 17 Academy Awards shows, the Grammys, also inaugural galas for Presidents Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter.
