San Luis Obispo Driver facing vehicular manslaughter charges in deaths of 2 pedestrians
SAN LUIS OBISPO - A man has been arrested for the crash that killed two San Luis Obispo residents and their dog while they were walking in November 2022.
On Monday, the San Luis Obispo Police Department said in a statement that the D.A.'s office filed two felony counts of Gross Vehicular Manslaughter against Daniel Saligan Patricio, 24, of San Luis Obispo, and obtained a warrant for his arrest.
The San Luis Obispo Police Department said, on November 21, Patricio crashed into a bridge along Sacramento Drive. Officers arrived on the scene and, with no suspicion of DUI or any foul play, let him go.
Fewer than 24 hours later, dispatch received a call of a dead dog near the scene. That same evening, a missing person's report went out of two San Luis Obispo Matthew Chachere, 39, and Jennifer Besser, 36 after they had not arrived at their expected location in Modesto for the holidays.
Family members gave photos of the couple and their dog to the police. That's when a dispatcher made the connection: the dead dog was owned by the missing residents. Officers returned to the crash site and found the bodies of Besser and Chachere tucked underneath some nearby brush.
Police say that Patricio was speeding when he went around the curve in the 3400 block of Sacramento Drive and lost control of the vehicle, hitting and killing the Bessers and their dog.
"SLOPD is committed to the thorough completion of all investigations. We appreciate the patience of the community while we worked towards providing important answers to family members and our community in pursuit of justice," said San Luis Obispo Police Chief Rick Scott. "We have been in close communication with the families of the victims throughout this difficult process and hope that they get the justice they seek and the closure they need."
Chachere was an embedded member of his community. He coached football at Ceres High School before heading to Grace Davis High in Modesto as the defensive coordinator for an undefeated season in 2021. Chachere and Besser worked for the E&J Gallo Winery at the time of their deaths.
