Woman, 26, sentenced to 6 years in fatal DUI crash on Highway 1

A California woman has been sentenced to six years in prison for killing a driver in a head-on crash on Highway 1. 

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The crash took place on Oct. 8, 2023 near the State Route 183 exit in Castroville. That stretch of Highway 1 is one lane in each direction, and a witness later told investigators that she saw a Mazda SUV driver speed around her into oncoming traffic. Around midnight, California Highway Patrol officers were called to the scene of a crash between the Mazda and a Subaru. They found both drivers trapped in their cars; the driver of the Subaru, 39-year-old Keenan Jackson, died from his injuries.

One of the CHP officers noticed the Mazda driver, Tessa Knight, appeared drunk. A toxicology analysis performed by the California Department of Justice found Knight had a blood alcohol content of .19%, twice the legal limit. She was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Knight, 26, was found guilty of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and last week a judge sentenced her to six years in prison. Data taken from Knight’s car found she was going 75 mph in a 55 mph zone at the time of the crash, prosecutors said. 

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Jackson left behind two young children, a GoFundMe for his loved ones said. “He was an amazing father, and loved taking the kids on adventures, road trips, or local Santa Cruz community events,” the fundraiser said. “He was kind and caring, goofy and fun, loving and hard working. They will grieve for the loss of their father as well as the many fun memories they shared together.”