After deliberating for about two hours, a jury found Robert Corchado guilty on seven counts, including leaving the scene of an accident with death, in connection to the deadly crash at an Orange County day care facility earlier this year.
Corchado, 29, was behind the wheel of a Dodge Durango in April, when he plowed into a Toyota Solara, sending that car crashing into a wall of the Winter Park-based KinderCare on North Goldenrod Road, investigators said.
Twelve people, including 11 children, were injured in the crash, and 4-year-old Lily Quintus was killed.
Corchado faces life in prison. A sentencing hearing has been set for Jan. 16.
The jury delivered the verdict just before 8 p.m. Corchado cried and placed his head down on the defense's table as the verdict was read.
Tom Greenman, the grandfather of Lily Quintus, the 4-year-old girl killed in the crash, said what Corchado did to his family is "unspeakable."
"This is the only thing that comes close to giving us any sense of satisfaction," Greenman said. "It's a terrible thing to say, but it's true."
Corchado was found guilty on the following charges: trafficking in 14 grams or more of heroin, leaving the scene of an accident with death, possession of cocaine with intent to sell or deliver, two counts of leaving scene of a crash with injuries, possession of 20 grams or less of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Investigators found Corchado's Durango at a home in Winter Park. The residents there said one of their friends dropped off the SUV and left.
Corchado took the stand in his own defense Monday. Prosecutors said Corchado left the scene of the accident and then abandoned his vehicle at a relative's home.
Investigators said they found drugs and scales inside the vehicle along with more than $5,000 in cash.
The defense called Corchado first to the stand. And in the first few minutes of questioning, Corchado admitted to being a drug dealer.
"I sell drugs, yes," he testified.
While that could incriminate Corchado for the seven charges he is facing for leaving the scene, trafficking and possession, his attorney challenged key elements of those charges.
Corchado said he never stopped or slowed down to look at the accident he caused and kept driving.
"It wasn't a major impact, and I didn't want to get another careless driving ticket (because) my license would get suspended," Corchado testified. "I would lose my license. I need it to drive my kids back and forth from school."
He testified that he never saw the other car crash into the day care. He said his car couldn't drive properly after the crash, so he went to the house of his drug-dealing partner and called for a tow truck. They went to get Corchado a rental car and shortly after he took a call from a friend saying that he saw the accident on the news.
Corchado said he panicked and called his mother to ask her to report the car stolen, but the car was recovered by law enforcement. Corchado surrendered at the Orange County Jail the next day.
The state called two more witnesses as part of its rebuttal, including Seyoun Cameron, the man Corchado identified as his drug-dealing partner. In his testimony, Cameron denied dealing drugs.