Maria Felix Prado, 48, pleaded no contest to vehicular manslaughter and was sentenced on Nov. 8 to 10 days in jail, 80 hours of work service, three years' probation, standard fines and restitution to the estate of Sandra K. Thomas, according to Deputy District Attorney John Langan.
Prado's attorney, Jesse Chrisp of Lower Lake, said Prado had the option of doing alternate work service rather than jail time, and was almost done with her sentence. He said he had no other comment on the case.
Thomas, of Noblesville, Ind., died last April 9 when the vehicle she was riding in was hit by a Dodge Caravan driven by Prado, who had drifted off of Highway 20 outside of Nice and overcorrected, crossing into the oncoming lane of traffic, as Lake County News has reported.
Thomas and her husband, James, had traveled to Ukiah last spring to visit their daughter, Sarah Noguera. The collision occurred as Noguera, her husband and two small children were driving the Thomases to the airport in Sacramento.
The California Highway Patrol's investigation concluded that Prado made an “unsafe turning movement” and went off the highway at 55 miles per hour before losing control, according to court documents.
Prado told the CHP at the scene that she was on the way to a doctor's appointment in Upper Lake and that she couldn't remember what happened because it took place so fast.
However, several days later she contacted a CHP officer to say another car had been tailgating her. The other parties involved did not corroborate that statement, according to the investigation documents.
Noguera, who along with her father was seriously injured in the crash, told investigators she looked over in Prado's direction, saw dust and heard the Caravan's motor revving before it “suddenly cut across the road and hit them.”
Prado, who had a previous conviction for use of a cell phone while driving, wasn't using her phone at the time of the crash, based on cell phone records, the CHP investigation indicated.
The CHP found no mechanical issues with Prado's vehicle, and Langan said she was charged with a single count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter.
Langan said he checked with the court early on in the case, with the court indicating that Prado would have received a maximum of 20 days in jail if convicted since she had no real prior record.
While he believed he could have prevailed at trial, Langan said the time and expense to get 10 days more was not an effective use of taxpayer dollars.
During the course of the proceedings, court records noted that Prado missed an Aug. 16 hearing and Judge Andrew Blum issued a $50,000 bench warrant for her, which was recalled in October. However, she missed a second court appearance on Oct. 25 and Blum issued a second, no-bail bench warrant, which he recalled at her Nov. 8 sentencing.
Langan said the alternative work program “technically is jail time,” and it's up to the Lake County Sheriff's Office whether or not it will allow individuals to use it. In this case, the agency verified with Langan and the court that a misdemeanor manslaughter sentence would qualify.
Prado had six weeks following the sentencing to arrange the alternative work service, said Langan. “If she doesn't complete it, it converts to a jail sentence.”
Court documents indicated that Prado was required by Dec. 13 to show proof of enrollment in the program, and she must return to court on June 7 with written proof of completion.
Langan noted that a civil case has been filed as a result of the crash. Details of that case – which did not show up in a search of Lake County court records – were not immediately available.
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