Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 12/20/07

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Assistant District Attorney Christine M. Cook

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

RYAN KARR CHARGED WITH FELONIES IN
DEADLY HWY 101 CRASH

Sonoma County District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced the arrest today of Ryan Karr, the driver in connection with a deadly crash where five people were killed on Highway 101 near the Town of Windsor in January of 2007. Karr is charged with five felony counts of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated but without gross negligence. He is also charged with five misdemeanor counts of vehicular manslaughter and one misdemeanor count of using a controlled substance.

District Attorney Passalacqua said, "Our hearts and thoughts are with the surviving family members of the victims of this case. Five innocent people were killed and a 5 year old boy was seriously injured."

The District Attorney’s office carefully reviewed reports submitted by the California Highway Patrol to the District Attorney in November of this year. Additional reports were also submitted by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department and the Department of Justice Laboratory in Sacramento. Defendant Karr was arrested this morning.

The maximum sentence if convicted on all counts is six years, eight months in state prison.