JUDGE RULES MOTORIST GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER IN DUI CASE.

Byline: Mary Schubert Daily News Staff Writer

A man blamed for a collision that killed a Saugus High School student was convicted Thursday of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and faces up to 10 years in state prison.

James Michael Bent, 30, avoided a more serious charge of second-degree murder that prosecutors had filed against him in the Jan. 11 death of Saugus High senior Lauren Blaire, 18.

Bent had waived his right to a jury trial and, instead, Deputy District Attorney Marsh Goldstein and defense attorney Craig Robinson presented the case to North Valley Superior Court Judge Meredith Taylor this week in the San Fernando Courthouse.

On Thursday, with family members of Bent and Blaire in attendance, Taylor ruled that the defendant was guilty of the manslaughter charge but not the murder charge, citing a lack of proof that Bent acted with malice on the night of the fatal crash at Plum Canyon and Bouquet Canyon roads in Saugus.

A blood sample drawn at the hospital an hour after the accident showed that Bent's blood-alcohol level measured 0.18 percent, more than twice California's legal limit of 0.08 percent, said Deputy Mike Shapiro of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Santa Clarita Valley station, which investigated the incident.

Taylor ordered Bent to return to court Oct. 6 for sentencing. He faces either four, six or 10 years in state prison for the manslaughter conviction, said Shapiro. The judge also revoked Bent's bail, which had stood at $1 million since his arrest and jailing at the Peter J. Pitchess Detention Center.

Outside the courtroom, the victim's parents, Nick and Donna Blaire, said while they were happy for a conviction, they wished it had been for the more serious charge of second-degree murder.

``The way he killed her, it's the same (result) as if he took a gun and shot her. Dead is dead,'' said Donna Blaire.

``I think we have to accept the judge's decision, but we're not satisfied with it,'' said Nick Blaire, adding that the family is hoping Bent will receive the maximum prison sentence. ``Lauren is not going to come back, but our hope is that he's out of the community.''

The couple, who brought some of their five children and several friends to court with them to hear the verdict, said Bent hasn't apologized or otherwise communicated with them in the eight months since their daughter's death.

``What bothers us is there's no sign of remorse (like), I'm sorry I took your daughter's life,'' said Donna Blaire, periodically breaking into tears. ``His past driving record is horrendous.''

Shapiro said Bent had twice been arrested on drunk-driving-related offenses, in Maryland in 1990 and in Delaware in 1995. Sheriff's deputies found the remnants of a six pack of beer in his Toyota 4Runner - three empty bottles, one unopened, and one that was open and spilled on the floor of the car.

Investigators testified that Bent had been drinking that beer while he was driving, said Shapiro.

``Our daughter had a lot going for her,'' the mother added, saying Lauren had been training for the upcoming Saugus High softball season. ``She stood a chance to get a scholarship to college.''

``We're going to live the rest of our lives without our daughter,'' said Nick Blaire.