A driver involved in a mid‑November crash that left a Richmond woman dead is now expected to face a vehicular manslaughter charge, El Cerrito police and Contra Costa County prosecutors said. Donna Revecho, 66, was hit while she crossed in a marked crosswalk at San Pablo Avenue and Waldo Avenue on Nov. 15, 2025, and she died from her injuries on Dec. 4, 2025. Authorities said the motorist stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators.
Prosecutors move to charge driver
According to The Mercury News, the Contra Costa County District Attorney plans to file a count of vehicular manslaughter with ordinary negligence against the driver. The outlet reported that investigators found no evidence that the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol when the collision occurred.
Crash details and victim
The crash happened around 2:20 p.m. on Nov. 15, 2025, at the intersection of San Pablo Avenue and Waldo Avenue, officials said. Revecho was airlifted to the trauma center at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek and remained hospitalized there until she died on Dec. 4, 2025, according to reporting by SFGate. El Cerrito police had previously signaled that criminal charges were on the table, pending the coroner’s autopsy and the district attorney’s review.
Local outcry and calls for safety
Revecho’s death quickly became a rallying point for neighbors and walking advocates who have been sounding the alarm about San Pablo Avenue for years. About 40 people gathered for a vigil at the Waldo intersection, where organizers with El Cerrito/Richmond Annex Walk & Roll called for faster and more aggressive pedestrian safety upgrades, according to Richmond Standard. Advocates have highlighted a Caltrans‑led repaving project slated for 2026 that could include some crosswalk improvements, but they argue those plans do not go nearly far enough. Community groups have tracked a series of recent collisions along the corridor, documentation that is detailed by El Cerrito/Richmond Annex Walk & Roll.
What the charge means
California law divides vehicular manslaughter into cases involving gross negligence and those involving ordinary negligence, a distinction that shapes whether prosecutors pursue a felony or a misdemeanor. Penal Code Section 192 defines the different forms of vehicular manslaughter, and Penal Code Section 193 outlines the potential punishments. Ordinary negligence is generally treated as a misdemeanor, carrying a maximum penalty of up to one year in county jail, while gross negligence can result in a state prison term.
Prosecutors said the case will be filed in Contra Costa County court, with an arraignment date to be set once charging documents are completed. The Mercury News first reported the district attorney’s charging decision, and El Cerrito police said their investigation remains active.
