Eight years after a late-night freeway crash killed a 19-year-old man, a Berkeley driver has pleaded no contest to vehicular manslaughter, received a 10-year sentence and been released with credit for time served. Maury Butler had been leaving a comedy show at Concord Pavilion when prosecutors say he drove drunk and struck Jesaun Benson-Garrett on Interstate 880.
The case reached its final phase on July 8, when Butler, now 64, was sentenced in court, according to The Mercury News. Court records show Butler had been on probation for a prior drunk-driving case when the crash happened, and he received credit for the time he had already spent in custody.
The collision occurred around 2:30 AM on Aug. 12, 2018, on the northbound I-880 in Oakland. Benson-Garrett, an Antioch resident, had gotten out of his vehicle after an earlier crash when he was struck and killed, as reported by KTVU.
Investigators said Butler showed signs of intoxication and failed a field sobriety test. Early coverage by Bay City News via Patch reported that he was driving with a suspended license and faced a murder charge after what authorities described as his fourth DUI arrest.
The Murder Case Became A Manslaughter Plea
California law allows prosecutors to pursue a murder charge in a DUI death when the facts can support implied malice, while separately defining vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. The state statute also lists prison terms for gross vehicular manslaughter and makes clear that it does not prevent a murder charge in the most serious cases, according to the California Legislature.
Butler ultimately pleaded no contest to vehicular manslaughter rather than murder. The officer who evaluated him, Carlos Rios, testified that Butler appeared nervous, shaken up and emotional, while Butler’s lawyer described him as remorseful, according to The Mercury News.
Time-Served Credit Led To His Release
The release is the jarring final detail in a case that began with a murder allegation: Butler was sentenced to 10 years, but the court credited him for time already served while the prosecution worked its way through the system. That meant he did not remain in jail after the July sentencing.
Benson-Garrett’s family and supporters have carried the loss since 2018. An online fundraiser described the teenager as someone who loved life and lived it to the fullest, according to court-related reporting.
The outcome comes amid other East Bay DUI death cases that have ended in lengthy but finite prison terms. In May, a Richmond man received 11 years and eight months after pleading no contest in the death of a 16-year-old, as previously reported by Hoodline; statewide, California’s Office of Traffic Safety counted 1,355 alcohol-impaired-driving deaths in 2023.
