Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 1/5/06

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Assistant District Attorney Larry Scoufos

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

DEFENDANT SENTENCED TO LIFE TERMS

District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced today that Daniel Vanguilder was sentenced to state prison for 21 years and four months plus two consecutive life terms. In October 2005, a Sonoma County jury convicted Vanguilder of five counts of attempted murder, six counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of making criminal threats. Jurors also found that he used a deadly weapon during the commission of most of these crimes. Superior Court Judge Raima Ballinger sentenced him to the maximum term.

The convictions resulted from a motor vehicle rampage in Rohnert Park on July 30, 2004. After an argument with his then wife, the defendant threatened suicide, got into his Blazer, and began to chase after his wife and two daughters through Rohnert Park. Vanguilder pursued his wife and children into the Target parking lot where he began to forcefully ram their van over and over again.

Although parole is possible on the two life terms, Vanguilder will have to serve approximately 32 years before he is eligible for parole.

Deputy District Attorney Bob Waner was the assigned prosecutor on the case.