Johnigan Gets 15-Year Sentence in Crash that Killed DA Investigator

The Santa Barbara woman was convicted of murder and vehicular manslaughter in September

By Lara Cooper, Noozhawk Staff Writer | Published on 11.20.2009

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Ashley Johnigan, the 24-year-old Santa Barbara resident who was convicted in the death of Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office investigator Laura Cleaves, was sentenced to 15 years in prison Thursday.

Johnigan was convicted in September of second-degree murder and vehicular manslaughter in the May 2008 crash that killed Cleaves, a senior investigator with the District Attorney’s Office.

Johnigan crashed head-on into Cleaves while both were driving on Highway 154 near the intersection of Highway 246 in Santa Ynez. The prosecution maintained that Johnigan had been drinking heavily at a Santa Ynez bar, and a 9-1-1 caller had alerted California Highway Patrol officers that a driver in a black Mercedes-Benz was possibly drunk.

Cleaves, 53, died at the scene, and a third motorist was injured in the fiery crash.

Cleaves had been an employee of the District Attorney’s Office since 1984, and her murder case was prosecuted by an attorney from the state Attorney General’s Office.

At the time of her death, Cleaves had been investigating Orson Mozes, who ran a Montecito-based adoption company and pleaded guilty earlier this year to fraud charges. He is now serving a three-year prison sentence.

Cleaves was married to sheriff’s Sgt. Steven Cleaves, and they were the parents of two grown daughters.

— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

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» Should of got life on 11.21.09 @ 12:43 PM

Liberals—Now if she was an illegal alien—she whould og got off..sad..


» Blake Lannon on 11.21.09 @ 01:40 PM

We are all sorry when someone dies.  The girl was 24 years old.  15 years will stop her from drinking.  Now her life is also ruined…....
An eye for an eye and we will all be blind!


» a reader on 11.21.09 @ 02:18 PM

Why do women always get stiffer sentences than men? Has this issue ever been looked into?


» you guys are stupid on 11.21.09 @ 09:49 PM

An illegal woudnt have gotten off, your stupid.
She deserves something, I agree with Blake, and,
women do not get stiffer sentences than men, not at all…
They get pregnant and then they get off…


» Really? on 11.22.09 @ 07:59 AM

Personally I’m glad she’s off the streets for a while… At least she won’t be driving the wrong way on the 101.


» sbnative on 11.22.09 @ 08:51 AM

Agree: should have got life. And when will people just STEP UP and take the keys from drunks like Johnigan? I do not get that. And having been at the Maverick a few times myself, it’s hard to believe there wasn’t some big hunky guy up to the task… A great woman died, and for what? Another weak woman’s bad choice. VERY SAD for all involved.


» Mexican illegals driving drunk on 11.22.09 @ 10:10 PM

Do you have any idea how many illegal aliens are driving around drunk, with two or more false names—Thanks Liberals—you allow this—Pelosi- Boxer—Capps—wait till they hurt one of your family members..you will finally get it—the pain of having no leadership to take control of this…The pain of losing someone you love—Liberals-If you only followed the will of the people, and arrested and deported them when you could have..if they had respect for our laws—it wouldn’t have happen—just wait—


» Stop it on 11.23.09 @ 01:27 PM

Waa waaa “Why do women always get stiffer sentences than men? Has this issue ever been looked into?”

Good question - have you ever looked into this allegation or are you just coming up with PC BS?

The reason she got a stiff sentence has nothing to do with her gender duh.. she was a DA investigator! The DA is the one that prosecutes!


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