Driver with 4 DUI arrests, suspended license involved in deadly Santa Rosa crash

Crash in Santa Rosa that killed Jessica Avila Munoz. Nhan Van Nguyen was arrested and charged

SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Two deadly crashes occurred Friday afternoon in Santa Rosa, including one with a driver who was arrested multiple times for DUI, police said.

Nhan Van Nguyen, 68, has been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter and felony DUI causing great bodily injury after allegedly blowing through a red light and colliding with another car in a three-way vehicle crash.

The first crash occurred on Lombardi Court and Sebastopol Road and began around 1:35 p.m. when a white Honda, a silver Dodge pickup truck driven by Nguyen, and a white Prius collided with each other.

According to police, Nguyen was driving west on Sebastopol Road and drove through a red light, colliding with the Honda driver, who was making a left turn from Lombardi Court to eastbound Sebastopol Road. 

Police said witnesses saw the Honda driver, identified as 31-year-old Jessica Avila Munoz, trapped inside her car. Munoz was unconscious and extricated by firefighters. She was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries where she later died.

Nguyen was also taken to a hospital as it appeared he was injured, police said. The Prius driver was not injured, police said.

At the hospital, investigators conducted a DUI investigation and found Nguyen was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, police said. 

Authorities said their investigation revealed Nguyen was previously arrested four times for DUI and had his license suspended, though it wasn't immediately made clear if his driver had his license suspended at the time of the crash.

KTVU reached out for clarification and is awaiting comment from Santa Rosa police.

Police said Nguyen was not injured, and he was booked into the Sonoma County Jail.

The crash closed the intersection for about six hours.

Later on Friday, California Highway Patrol officers responded to a motorcycle crash on Riebli Road and Wallace Road. When CHP officers arrived, the rider was already declared dead by fire personnel.

Officials said the rider was driving at high speeds and illegally passed another car over double yellow lines. They lost control when they approached a right curve in the road and crashed into a fence.

Officials did not identify the rider.