Michael Harris, a 42-year-old man, has been found guilty of manslaughter following a tragic incident on October 7, 2022. The prosecution argued that Harris, driving his pickup truck with his ex-partner Monica Childers, ran a stop sign at high speed, causing the vehicle to roll and resulting in Childers' death.
During the trial, it was revealed that Harris displayed signs of intoxication and had drugs in his system, including THC and methamphetamine. Despite claiming he had no recollection of the events, evidence from the vehicle's Event Data Recorder showed he was accelerating towards the intersection before the crash. The defense posited that Harris had a seizure while driving, but medical records indicated he had been advised against driving due to seizures in the past and had ceased taking medication for them.
Assistant District Attorney Priscilla Pelli presented testimony from forensic toxicologists and Investigator Ron Cathcart, countering the seizure defense and emphasizing Harris' intoxication. Ultimately, Judge Koch found Harris guilty and sentenced him to 10 years in prison, with a determination that the vehicle he was driving constituted a deadly weapon.
