In a sobering conclusion to a 2020 fatal crash, a Millbrae woman has entered a no contest plea for her involvement in a drunk driving incident that claimed the life of a local teacher. Suzette Christine Kelly, 66, admitted to the charges of felony vehicular manslaughter and drunk driving, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office. The agreement reached on Tuesday will see Kelly facing up to five years and four months in state prison.
Kelly’s reckless journey on March 14, 2020, began with her Jeep Wrangler rear-ending a car on Highway 35, she then compounded the initial crash by crossing the double yellow lines, colliding with two more vehicles. Among the chaos she wrought, 48-year-old Lawrence Berroya suffered fatal injuries, succumbing two weeks later. Post-accident, Kelly attempted an escape that led her through a sushi restaurant and a convenience store, peddling a tale that she was evading the Hells Angels. Police apprehended her, and subsequent tests showed her blood alcohol level at 0.12 percent, exceeding the legal limit of 0.08 percent, as reported by KTVU.
Legal proceedings for Kelly hit a pause in 2022 due to concerns about her mental competence, which led to her spending an interim period at Napa State Hospital for evaluation and treatment. In September, a judge determined that Kelly had regained competence, thus resuming the criminal proceedings culminating in the recent plea. The crash ended the life of Berroya, who was remembered for his dedication as a teacher at Gateway High School in San Francisco and for his spirited support of the school’s sports teams.
Further details on the plea and any statements from Kelly's defense were not immediately available, adding to the gravity of a case that has now reached its legal denouement. Amidst the legal closure, the community continues to remember a life cut short and the irrevocable damage drunk driving can bring, as echoed in the announcement by the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office via X.
In 2020, Suzette Christine Kelly (66) plowed her vehicle into another on SR35, fled, crossed over the double yellow line and collided with 2 cars, killing one occupant, arrested with .12% BAC. She pled no contest to vehicular manslaughter, sentenced to 5yrs, 8mos prison. pic.twitter.com/ZU9zkjsymr
— San Mateo County District Attorney (@SanMateoCoDA) January 25, 2024
