Driver gets 8 years prison for two deaths in La Jolla

A driver who was convicted of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in the deaths of two passengers in La Jolla was sentenced on March 3 to eight years in state prison.

The sentence handed down to Peter John Meno, 28, was one year less than the maximum in the deaths of Jaden Rowley, 22, and Matthew “Max” Cate, 19, who were killed on Nov. 22, 2020.

“I’m happy for the eight years,” said Neicy Rowley, the mother of Jaden Rowley, afterward.

Meno, wearing tan jail clothes, spoke first and apologized to several dozen family members of both victims “for my bad choices that night and for the heartaches and the pain that I may have caused.”

The grandfather of one victim repeated Meno’s words – “he may have caused” – to San Diego Superior Court Evan Kirvin, saying Meno was in denial of what he had done.

Meno testified at his trial that he had been speeding on Torrey Pines Road and slowed down as he made a left turn onto Girard Avenue in La Jolla around 3:15 a.m. while looking for a taco shop.

He lost control of his Nissan Altima and it struck a curb before striking two trees and then losing a tire. The two passengers apparently unfastened their seat belts and Meno claimed both of them stuck their heads out the window. His speed at the time of the collision was 41 mph, and Meno said the passengers caused their own deaths by their actions.

“You have ripped my life to shreds,” said Pamela Cate, the mother of Matthew Cate. “You destroyed who I used to be because I will never be the same again.”

“Your mother sits over there in tears,” said Cate, gesturing toward her in the audience. “As a mother, I hurt for you.”

The jury on Jan. 26 acquitted Meno of committing gross negligence in the crash and found that he committed ordinary negligence. They also convicted him of driving with a suspended license. Meno lost his driver’s license because of prior tickets for speeding and running a red light.

“He’s taken responsibility. He was the driver,” said Meno’s girlfriend, Kenna Kurronen. “This is something he will carry for the rest of his life. It’s not true he has no remorse.”

“Peter loved Jaden and Max,” said his sister, Arlene Meno. “He is extremely remorseful. He is sad. He deserves compassion. He made a mistake.”

Arlene Meno suggested that some of the grieving family members have hatred toward her brother, which was disputed by several relatives.

“Thank you for your judgment,” said Laura Sharp, the godmother of Cate sarcastically, telling Meno family members she did not hate Peter Meno. “I wish you well. You could live to be an old man.”

Neicy Rowland also disputed that she had hatred for Peter Meno, telling a reporter she allowed him to have a private viewing of her son’s body before the funeral without anyone around.

“I wanted him to see the final result of what he did,” said Neicy Rowland. “We didn’t hate him. (He) was already part of the family.”

Deputy District Attorney Cally Bright asked for the maximum 9-year term while defense attorney Jodi Green urged a much lower term. Meno must serve 85% of the 8-year term before he can be granted parole.

Kirvin said he thought Meno was untruthful in some of his testimony and he said there was “a constant theme from the defendant of trying to shift the blame toward the victims in this case rather than taking accountability for his own actions.”

Bright mentioned that someone in Meno’s family sent cookies to the judge’s staff prior to sentencing. All food and gifts that are sent to any judge are automatically returned.

Restitution to various victims was left to be determined later. He was fined $650, and given credit for serving 47 days in jail.