DRUNK DRIVER WHO CAUSED HEAD-ON FATAL CRASH ON HIGHWAY 1 NEAR CASTROVILLE SENTENCED TO 6 YEARS IN PRISON

Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced today that on September 22, 2026, Judge Jennifer O'Keefe sentenced Monterey resident, Tessa Knight, age 26, to 6 years in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, after Knight admitted one count of Gross Vehicular Manslaughter While Intoxicated. This charge constitutes one "Strike" under California's Three Strikes Law.

On October 8, 2023, shortly before midnight, California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers were dispatched on report of a head-on collision between a Mazda SUV and Subaru sedan on Highway 1 near the SR-183 exit in Castroville. Highway 1 is two lanes, one in each direction at this location. Officers found the two vehicles disabled on the north and southbound shoulders with significant front-end damage and both drivers trapped within their vehicles. CHP identified the driver of the Subaru as Keenan Jackson. Mr. Jackson was unresponsive, and despite the efforts of paramedics he succumbed to his injuries. The driver of the Mazda, identified as Tessa Knight, was receiving medical care from paramedics when Officer Peter Todd noticed symptoms of alcohol intoxication present on Ms. Knight. Before her transport to the hospital, Officer Todd completed a brief DUI investigation and determined Ms. Knight was under the influence of alcohol. A subsequent forensic analysis of Ms. Knight's blood by the California Department of Justice revealed she had been driving with a blood alcohol level of approximately .19%, more than double the legal limit. A motorist who witnessed the crash told officers that Ms. Knight had sped around her into the oncoming lane of Highway 1 to pass her, leading to the head-on collision with Mr. Jackson's vehicle. A download of Ms. Knight's vehicle data by the CHP Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team confirmed she had been driving 75mph at the time of the crash. The speed limit is 55 mph at this location.

The case was investigated by the California Highway Patrol and prosecuted by the Monterey County District Attorney's Office specialized DUI Vertical Prosecution Unit. Funding for this unit was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.