Executive Summary
- Kenia Marcela Alegria was arrested following a fatal crash on Highway 101 near Petaluma.
- The CHP has recommended a murder charge due to Alegria’s prior DUI conviction in 2023.
- The crash resulted in the death of 61-year-old Teresa Renderos and injuries to another passenger.
- Court records indicate Alegria was on probation and prohibited from driving with alcohol in her system.
A 41-year-old woman from Novato has been arrested and faces a recommended murder charge following a fatal single-vehicle collision on Highway 101 near Petaluma that resulted in the death of a relative, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
Kenia Marcela Alegria was taken into custody on Tuesday immediately after being discharged from Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, where she received treatment for major injuries sustained in the February 11 incident. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office identified the deceased victim as 61-year-old Teresa Renderos of Novato. Authorities stated that Alegria was driving a BMW at high speeds on wet pavement around 8:45 p.m. when the vehicle veered off the road near Petaluma Boulevard South and overturned.
Investigators report that both Renderos and a second passenger, identified only as a 60-year-old woman, were ejected from the vehicle. CHP officials noted that preliminary evidence suggests neither passenger was wearing a seatbelt. Renderos was pronounced dead at the crash site, while the surviving passenger was hospitalized alongside the driver.
CHP Officer David deRutte stated that the agency is recommending a murder charge against Alegria based on her legal history. Court records indicate that Alegria pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor DUI in March 2023 stemming from a January 2022 arrest in Marin County, where she faced allegations of a blood-alcohol content exceeding 0.15 percent. At the time of the crash, she was serving a three-year probation term which explicitly prohibited her from operating a vehicle with any amount of alcohol in her system.
It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Legal Ramifications and Procedural Outlook
The recommendation of a murder charge by the CHP suggests the potential application of the “Watson murder” rule, a legal precedent in California that allows prosecutors to charge second-degree murder if a driver with a prior DUI conviction kills someone while driving under the influence. The Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office is currently reviewing the evidence to determine the final charges to be filed. As Alegria is held without bail at the Sonoma County jail, her upcoming arraignment before Judge Lynette Brown will be a critical step in establishing the prosecutorial strategy for this case.
