A Pleasant Hill woman is facing a felony manslaughter charge after a January crash on westbound Interstate 580 in Oakland that killed her passenger and injured others, in a case prosecutors say centers on alleged drug impairment.
Crash and charges
According to The Mercury News, Alameda County prosecutors today filed one felony count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated against 32-year-old Alazjah Cannon of Pleasant Hill. The collision happened Jan. 3 on westbound Interstate 580 east of Lakeshore Avenue in Oakland.
The Alameda County coroner identified the passenger who later died as 34-year-old Trevaughn Winston Brown of West Sacramento. Other people involved in the crash were also hurt, and Cannon herself was treated for injuries.
Investigators' findings and arrest
Court records state that CHP officers found marijuana in Cannon's vehicle, and the California Highway Patrol reported that investigators believed she had been driving while under the influence of a controlled substance. Cannon was placed under arrest at a hospital where she was being treated for her injuries, then later posted bail, prosecutors told The Mercury News.
Prosecutors said a notice of the charge was mailed to Cannon. She is required to appear in Alameda County Superior Court on July 27.
What the charge carries
Gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated is a felony under California law. For a first offense, it can carry a state prison term of four, six or ten years, and prior convictions or sentencing enhancements can significantly increase potential time behind bars. The statute and sentencing framework are set out in California Penal Code §191.5.
Where it happened and the wider debate
The crash took place on a stretch of I-580 that regularly lands in Oakland traffic debates, including a recent Caltrans study on whether to scrap a decades-old ban on heavy trucks. Hoodline coverage of the big rig battle over the I-580 truck ban highlights ongoing neighborhood worries about safety along the freeway near Lakeshore Avenue.
Cannon's July 27 court appearance is the next public step in the case. Any changes to charges, new filings or future hearings will be added to the Alameda County court calendar. Hoodline will track the filings and official statements and update coverage as records become available.
