Santee woman pleads guilty in death of driver
A Santee woman has pleaded guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in the death of another driver whose car she collided with while going the wrong way on a freeway. Lauren Ashley Freeman, 23, faces up to 11 years and eight months in state prison, said Deputy District Attorney Laura Evans. Justin Callahan, 35, was killed Feb. 26, 2018, and investigators initially believed he got onto a freeway transition ramp the wrong way and collided with Freeman’s Toyota Camry.
The California Highway Patrol initially thought Callahan was at fault, but they reversed their earlier finding and Freeman was charged in November 2018. A murder charge was dis-missed against Freeman by San Diego Superior Court Judge Runston Maino after she pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter. She also pleaded guilty to drunk driving on July 26. Sentencing was set for Sept. 27 and Freeman re-mains in jail without bail.
Freeman caused the 1:55 a.m. crash by driving the wrong way on a ramp be-tween Interstate 8 and I-5. Callahan’s brother, Tommy Villafranca, said his brother clocked out at 1:30 a.m. at his job in Chula Vista and was on northbound Interstate 5 while driving home when his car was struck. Evans previously said in court that Freeman’s blood/ alcohol level was .28, which is three times the legal limit. Freeman had been drinking before the crash and dis-regarded four warning signs that she was entering the freeway the wrong way, said Evans.
Sexual harassment allegations denied
A Spring Valley apartment owner has denied allegations in a sexual harassment law-suit filed by the U.S. Attorney against him that claims he pressured female tenants to have sex with him or face eviction. The lawsuit was filed against Larry Nelson in June, but his attorney filed court documents July 31 saying Nelson had not committed any of the actions in the U.S. District Court lawsuit.
Nelson’s attorney, Donald Holben, wrote the statute of limitations barred some of the causes of action alleged against Nelson. He also wrote the tenants’ accounts were false and vague. Nelson is the owner and landlord for properties at 832 Grand Avenue and 9200 Harness Street, both in Spring Valley. The first incident mentioned in the lawsuit goes back to 2005 when a female tenant alleged he made unwelcome advances and made sexually explicit comments to her. It also says he engaged in window peeping and made unannounced visits to some tenants’ homes.
A tenant in 2008 alleged Nelson made repeated offers to exchange sexual favors for rent. Another tenant complained in 2018 that he showed her a pornographic video without her consent and made suggestive comments. The lawsuit brought by U.S. Attorney Robert Brew-er, Jr. alleges he violated the Fair Housing Act, discriminated on the basis of sex, and coerced or intimidated female tenants. They are seeking money damages.
Trial set for driver accused of murder of jogger
A Nov. 4 trial has been set for a driver accused of murder and gross vehicular manslaughter of a jogger in Lakeside. A two-day preliminary hearing was held in July for Michael Jason Woodfill, 47, who has pleaded not guilty to killing Susana Gotell, 41, on Aug. 27, 2018.
Gotell was jogging around 6:40 p.m. on North Woodside Avenue when Woodfill’s truck drifted off the road and struck her. She was taken to a hospital, but died. El Cajon Superior Court Judge Lantz Lewis ordered Woodfill to stand trial for murder, gross vehicular man-slaughter while intoxicated, and driving with a measurable blood/alcohol level.
The charges say Woodfill, of Santee, had a previous DUI misdemeanor conviction in 2016. Woodfill has posted $1 million bond and remains free.
