Press Release
(Woodland, CA) - District Attorney Jeff Reisig announced that yesterday a Yolo County jury convicted Donna Marie McClure, 78, of West Sacramento, of Vehicular Manslaughter with Gross Negligence. The jury also found that Ms. McClure drove her car without a valid license and failed to yield to a pedestrian when she struck and killed Jewell Mattos in the parking lot of a West Sacramento Raley’s store on October 1, 2009.
According to witnesses and video surveillance, Ms. Mattos walked out of Raley’s Market shortly after 10:00 a.m. and was halfway through the crosswalk when the defendant ran into her with her car. Ms. McClure failed to stop until Ms. Mattos was carried 20 to 30 feet. Ms. Mattos suffered serious injuries and died the following day at U.C. Davis Medical Center. The evidence showed that nothing had obstructed Ms. McClure’s view and that the she had more than adequate opportunity to brake before the crosswalk.
The prosecutor, Ryan Couzens, argued that Ms. McClure committed gross negligence because she had been repeatedly warned by her doctor and the Department of Motor vehicles that she could not safely drive because of lapses in consciousness, judgment and attention caused by chronic alcoholism. Ms. McClure admitted to police that she knew of the license suspension. There was also testimony that nothing prevented McClure’s passenger from driving the car that day. When asked why she drove on that day, Ms. McClure told police that she had too much pride to ask her friends for rides.
Many friends and family of the Ms. Mattos attended the trial and were present when the jury verdict was read. “We are both thrilled and grateful by the outcome of the trial,” commented Ms. Mattos’ daughter, Pamela Mendelsohn. “We are thankful to the Yolo County DA’s office,” continued Mendelsohn. “Our victim advocate remained committed to our family through these last two years, and the prosecutor did a remarkable job of setting forth the facts and the truth to the jury to be sure justice was served.”
The case was tried before Yolo Superior Court Judge Timothy Fall. Judge Fall is expected to pronounce sentence on October 14, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. in Department 2 of the Yolo County Superior Court at which time Ms. McClure may be sentenced to a range of probation to six years in state prison.
For more information, please contact Chief Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Raven at (530) 666-8092
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