Edhat Staff
Santa Barbara County District Attorney John T. Savrnoch announced Tuesday that Kyle Nelson, a 32-year-old resident of Lompoc, was sentenced to 12 years in State Prison on two Counts of Gross Vehicular Manslaughter While Intoxicated.
Around 4:00 a.m. on October 28, 2022, Nelson was out on bail and driving his Ford C-Max southbound on Highway 1, just north of the Highway 101 interchange. He was under the influence of marijuana when he attempted to overtake slower traffic and wantonly veered into oncoming traffic, according to court documents.
Nelson has bee convicted of causing a head-on collision with a Chevy Malibu driving northbound. Inside the Chevy Malibu were two 19-year-olds, Jenna Causby and Dorothy Guthrie, both from Lompoc. The women were pronounced dead on scene.
Various family members and friends came forth during the prolonged sentencing hearing to give victim impact statements highlighting the tragic loss to both families and the community at large, according to Savrnoch.
Savrnoch went on to state that at the time of the offense Nelson was out on bail in case 21CR01623 and was ultimately sentenced to one year in County Jail for annoying or molesting a child. John Doe’s mother also made a moving victim impact statement expressing to the court the far ranging repercussions the defendant’s actions have had on her son and her family.
“While the use of marijuana is now legal, this case underlines the inherent danger associated with driving while under the influence of its effects. Our Office will continue to zealously prosecute those individuals who would endanger the lives of of our community by driving while under the influence. Thank you to the California Highway Patrol personnel for a thorough investigation and the prosecution team led by Senior Deputy District Attorney Kevin Weichbrod, Michelle Mossembekker, and Lauren Franco for their work in seeking justice in this case,” said Savrnoch.
Related Articles
October 28, 2022: Double Fatal Traffic Collision on Highway 1
January 24, 2024: Lompoc Man Pleads Guilty in Traffic Collision that Killed Two Teens
Sad. Just 6 years for each life he took and he will probably be released early because of overcrowding, so less than 6 years per murder.
Umm hello, that’s two lives snuffed out by someone who knew they what they were doing.
12 years is much too light of a sentence. He should get life.
Great job, John. I see you took a lot of pages from your predecessor’s book.
DA was probably under the influence of something when he passed this sentence
During the court appearance, the judge (Dandonna), stated she was sentencing the defendant to the maximum time allowed by law. The Santa Barbara DA, nor the Judge, had any power to sentence this defendant with more time… Your complaint is not with the DA or Judge. Rather, the California legislators and their passage of laws.
Total loser, and a shameful system we have here in CA for prosecuting this. Uber-liberal. Sounds great until it’s you or your family member that gets taken out by another chronic offender. Newsom??
You do realize it’s the legislature that drafts and passes laws before they get to the governor’s desk? Once again, a civics course; at least a refresher, is in order.
Maybe you should “clue in” to the fact that our State Legislature is part of the ONE-PARTY-“Progressive”-Socialist-Democrat State that Newsom is head of…