"I can finally put an end to this chapter and be able to fully heal and continue being the father that I can be for my daughter," said James Alvarez.
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Courtney Fritz Pandolfi, 44, pleaded guilty to driving impaired and running down 23-year-old Yesenia Lisette Aguilar during a crash in Anaheim in August 2020.
Aguilar was walking with her husband near the intersection of Katella Avenue and Bayless Street when a white SUV jumped a curb and hit her, according to the Anaheim Police Department.
Alvarez was narrowly missed by the vehicle. Aguilar, a Disneyland employee, was 35 weeks pregnant at the time of the collision. The couple's daughter, Adalyn Rose, who's now 3 1/2, was born by emergency C-section.
Pandolfi pleaded guilty to second-degree murder as well as a felony count of driving under the influence of a drug causing injury, along with misdemeanor counts of driving on a suspended or revoked license due to a DUI, driving under the influence of a drug and possession of drug paraphernalia.
She also pleaded guilty to drug charges while in custody, according to authorities.
"It's been a long three years," said Alvarez as he held his daughter. With the support of about a dozen relatives in the courtroom, Alvarez addressed Pandolfi directly. The court asking media to not show Pandolfi's face.
She cried while listening to Alvarez's message.
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"I am just thankful that you finally took the responsibility for your actions," the father told her.
Despite the pain of his loss, Alvarez hopes his story inspires others to push through. He's become popular on social media for sharing his journey.
"Find that light at the end of the tunnel, and to keep moving forward ... to never give up," said Alvarez.
Pandolfi's attorney, Fred Fascenelli, said his client decided to plead guilty to spare the victim's family the anguish of a trial. Part of the delay in a resolution of the case was owed to prosecutors ensuring there was no lasting damage to Adalyn due to the emergency C-section surgery required to save her life, Fascenelli said.
"After the baby was given effectively a clean bill of health and my client was able to look at (evidence) and everything else she realized she made a horrible mistake and there would be no benefit to anyone to utilize her right to a trial,'' Fascenelli said.
Pandolfi is attempting to take steps to manage her addiction issues and will likely get more effective help in prison, the defense attorney said.
"I think she's coming to grips with her position in life and realizing she needs to make a change,'' Fascenelli said.
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Pandolfi, who was scheduled to be sentenced April 12, faces 15 years to life in prison.
She was originally charged with second-degree murder instead of voluntary manslaughter, which does not carry a life sentence, because Pandolfi was previously convicted of DUI and was given a so-called Watson Waiver, which warns DUI offenders that if they get into a deadly collision, they face the upgraded charge of murder.
Pandolfi pleaded guilty on April 24, 2015, to possession of a controlled substance, being under the influence of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving under the influence of a drug, all misdemeanors.
She pleaded guilty July 8, 2016, to a felony count of identity theft, and misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of a drug, falsely representing herself to an officer, being under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance.
City News Service, Inc. contributed to this report.