Merced man pleads ‘no contest’ to manslaughter in deadly drunken-driving collision

A 19-year-old Merced man pleaded no contest earlier this month to felony drunken-driving charges in connection with a crash in May that killed a passenger in his car.

Tristan Shelton, 19, of Merced, entered his plea Dec. 16 to felony counts of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, hit and run, and DUI. He also admitted fault to each criminal charge and allegation, Merced County Deputy District Attorney Tony Colacito said.

Shelton faces up to 10 years in prison.

He was the driver of a 2006 Ford Focus that rolled over just before 7 a.m. May 4 on Highway 140, west of Sultana Drive, the California Highway Patrol reported.

Investigators said Shelton walked away from the crash scene, leaving behind three passengers - Guillermo Cortez, 19-year-old Dezhia Lane of Los Banos and Devon Fontenette-Noack, a 20-year-old Winton man who died in the crash.

Authorities said Fontenette-Noack was the only passenger not wearing a seat belt.

Officers found Shelton a short time later.

Shelton’s sentencing hearing has been scheduled for March 16, Colacito said. But he could be sentenced earlier pending a diagnostic health report by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He was in custody Friday.