DATE: January 7, 2025

CASE: Kaya Moonbelle Pritchard (Case #22FE020754)

PROSECUTOR: Deputy District Attorney Adriana Garcia, Major Crimes Unit

On January 3, 2025, the Honorable Michael Sweet sentenced Kaya Moonbelle Pritchard to 4 years county jail prison. On November 1, 2024, a jury convicted Pritchard of vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury.  The jury also found true a great bodily injury allegation.

At 9:37 p.m. on November 27, 2022, Kaya Pritchard was driving southbound on SR-160 when she crossed the double solid yellow lines into the northbound lane and collided head-on with a car driven by Ryan Aguirre. A Rio Vista police officer arrived on scene and located Mr. Aguirre’s car down in the embankment. Mr. Aguirre was unconscious and trapped in the driver’s seat. After the Fire Department extracted Mr. Aguirre from the car, he succumbed to blunt force injuries sustained from the crash at 11:14 p.m.

Officers and paramedics smelled alcohol on Pritchard, but she denied having consumed any alcohol or marijuana. She stated she was coming from work at a restaurant where she serves alcohol. An Alcohol Beverage Control agent later went to Pritchard’s place of work and confirmed she had not worked on that date. At approximately 11:00 p.m., Pritchard blew a PAS of 0.070% and 0.074% BAC. A blood test taken three hours after the collision showed Pritchard had a BAC of 0.10% at the time she was driving at 9:37 p.m.