Arraignment for Laguna Doctor Charged in Fatal High-Speed Crash Postponed

A Laguna Beach doctor was expected to be arraigned Monday in connection with a high-speed, head on crash that killed two men, but the hearing was postponed, court records show.

Robert McFarland Pettis, 48, Laguna Beach, was charged Friday with two felony counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, one felony count of driving the wrong way on a divided highway causing death and sentencing enhancements for inflicting great bodily harm, prosecutors reported.

Pettis will return to the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach for his arraignment on Dec. 19.

The charges against Pettis stem from a crash that occurred about 6:40 a.m. on April 2. Authorities allege Pettis was driving his Tesla Model S at an excessive speed northbound on State Route 133/Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach. According to prosecutors, Pettis is accused of crossing over the double lines into the southbound lanes into oncoming traffic and crashing head-on into a Honda Accord, killing its driver 47- year-old driver Alberto Casique, his 38-year-old passenger Armando Gonzalez.

Casique and Gonzalez were pronounced dead at the scene.

If convicted Pettis faces a maximum sentence of nine years and eight months in state prison.

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