Santa Rosa Man Causes Fatal Crash While Driving Drunk Again

SANTA ROSA – A 68-year-old man, Nhan Van Nguyen, has been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter and felony driving under the influence following a tragic collision that resulted in the death of 31-year-old Jessica Avila Munoz. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon when Munoz was making a left turn from Lombardi Court onto eastbound Sebastopol Road. Nguyen, who allegedly ran a red light while driving a Dodge pickup truck, struck Munoz's vehicle, causing it to collide with a third car. Emergency responders arrived at the scene shortly after the 1:35 p.m. accident, where they found Munoz trapped in her white Honda with severe injuries. Firefighters worked to extricate her, and she was subsequently transported to a local hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries. The driver of the third vehicle, a Prius, was unharmed in the incident. Nguyen, who has a history of multiple DUI convictions and was driving on a suspended license at the time of the crash, was also taken to the hospital but did not sustain any injuries. Police reported that he exhibited signs of intoxication, and further investigation confirmed he was under the influence of alcohol during the incident. The intersection of Lombardi Court and Sebastopol Road was closed for approximately six hours as authorities conducted their investigation into the collision. Nguyen is currently being held at Sonoma County Jail.