Former sheriff’s captain seeks parole

Thursday, Oct. 29, 1998 | 10:52 a.m.

Enrico Togneri was turned down for parole in June 1997 and lost an appeal to the state Supreme Court in April.

The parole board was expected to rule within two weeks of Thursday's hearing.

Togneri, commander of the crime lab for the sheriff's office, slammed his car into the rear of another vehicle in June 1994, killing Gunter Paschkowiak, an executive of Porsche Cars North America.

Togneri was off duty when the accident occurred on U.S. 395 at Zolezzi Lane south of Reno. His blood alcohol level was measured three times. Each was above the state's level of 0.1 percent at which a person is presumed to be drunk.

Togneri had pleaded guilty to the charge of causing the death of another while driving under the influence of alcohol. On appeal, he argued he was being punished twice for the same offense. His driver's license was suspended and his lawyer claimed that, together with the prison sentence, constituted double jeopardy.

archive