Santa Rosa Junior College Football Coach Charged With Murder In DUI Crash
SANTA ROSA (CBS SF) -- A Santa Rosa Junior College assistant football coach has been charged with murder in the death of a Sonoma State student in a suspected DUI crash on Sonoma County's Lakeville Highway, authorities said.
The California Highway Patrol said Logologoa Taumaloto Tevaseu was arrested in the multi-vehicle crash that took place at 9:10 p.m. on the Lakeville Highway just north of SR-37.
Tevaseu played football for two seasons at Santa Rosa Junior College and then transferred to Texas Christian University. He returned years later to join the school's coaching staff as the defensive line coach.
According to investigators, Tevaseu was driving his 2006 Dodge Ram truck in the southbound lanes when crossed the double yellow and began to illegally pass vehicles.
He then struck a white Toyota Corolla head-on. The driver of the Corolla -- 21-year-old Sonoma State student Paulette Geronimo Quiba from Oakley -- was killed in the collision. Three other vehicles subsequently collided with the Corolla or each other. Several people suffered minor to moderate injuries that required hospital treatment.
Sonoma County District Attorney's Office charged Tevaseu with murder with malice and enhancements alleging he was previously convicted of DUI within the last 10 years. He was also charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and two counts of felony DUI.
His previous DUI occurred in October 2011.