The man convicted of second-degree murder Friday in the death of Vincent D’Anna didn’t actually own the Camaro that rear-ended D’Anna and trapped him underneath while the driver revved the engine on Sashabaw Road Aug. 26.
Legally, the car belonged to Ramon Pineda’s wife.
Dawn Pineda, 38, served a 93-day sentence in Oakland County’s Work Release program after she was convicted Jan. 31 of allowing a suspended person to operate a motor vehicle.
In a letter dated Feb. 19, Dawn Pineda asked 52-2 District Court Judge Dana Fortinberry, who issued the sentence, for an ‘early release or time cut.?
‘I plead no contest due to the fact that I did know my husband was driving the car, but I did not give him permission,? she wrote. ‘He took the car when I was not home, as he did on a few other occasions. We were in the process of selling (the car) because I was tired of arguing with him regarding him taking it.?
‘I wish I could have controlled my husband and none of this would have happened,? she continued. ‘But I was unable to control his actions.?
In court last week to testify on her husband’s behalf, however, Dawn Pineda said financial problems prompted her to park the car in front of the couple’s Ortonville home with a ‘for sale? sign.
‘It wasn’t driven for about a year prior to accident,? she said Friday, noting she paid about $9,000 for the vehicle approximately two years ago. ‘I purchased it to put in car shows, (but) we had a restaurant and we just got too busy with it, and with the baby. We never had time to do anything with it.?
At the time of the accident, Dawn Pineda owned the Olde Village Caf? in downtown Clarkston, where Ramon Pineda worked for about 7 years. It wasn’t clear last week whether Pineda still owns the business.
In his own testimony, however, Ramon Pineda said his wife bought the car for him about a year prior to the accident.
‘It was a gift for Father’s Day,? he said, explaining that he’d only had the car out on the road a handful of times. ‘She didn’t allow me to drive.?
The couple, who have a 2-year-old son in common, were married in Las Vegas about three years ago. Dawn Pineda also has a 13-year-old son and 16-year-old son from a previous relationship, and told Fortinberry it was concern for her children that prompted a letter asking for an early release from the program.
Work Release is a minimum-security facility’that houses sentenced inmates who are court-ordered into the program. Offenders, who are charged room and board on a sliding scale for the period of their stay, have the opportunity to continue to working while they serve sentences.
A friend of Dawn Pineda’s, who was caring for the three children while both parents were incarcerated, also wrote to Fortinberry.
‘As long as I have known Dawn, she has never been in any kind of trouble,? the friend penned. ‘Her family always came first and she is a very caring and loving mother. Her incarceration is having a very negative effect on her family. I truly feel that Dawn has been a victim of very very unfortunate circumstances. Her and her family are suffering due to the actions of another individual.?
The requests were denied.