Man receives probation for California crash that killed young couple

HACIENDA HEIGHTS, Calif. -- A man who authorities said was driving a car that hurtled through the air and onto a pickup truck, killing two high school sweethearts in Hacienda Heights in 2015, was sentenced to probation on Wednesday.

Key Kim, 69, pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor counts of vehicular manslaughter in an open plea to the court. The open plea means a sentence was not negotiated with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, according to officials.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Donna Hollingsworth sentenced Kim to five years of probation, 800 hours of community service and ordered him to complete multiple programs, including the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Victim Impact Program.

His driver's license was also revoked for five years.

Officials said Kim was driving eastbound on the 60 Freeway when he got off the 7th Avenue exit on Oct. 18, 2015. The car went airborne and slammed into a Toyota truck on 7th Avenue, shearing it in half.

The driver of the truck, George Steward, and his passenger, Sabrina Castillo, both 18, were immediately killed.

Steward and Castillo were high school sweethearts and recent graduates of Los Altos High School.

Castillo was studying business at Citrus College. Steward was attending Mt. San Antonio College where he was on the football team.

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According to prosecutors, Kim intended to press the brakes, but instead hit the accelerator as he exited the off-ramp.