A Santa Maria Valley woman pleaded guilty to misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter in connection with a fatal crash that killed an 18-year-old motorcyclist two years ago.
Lana Olivia Knor, 84, changed her plea in Santa Barbara County Superior Court for the case stemming from an Oct. 24, 2024 fatal collision in Santa Maria.
The motorcyclist, Mason Anthony Rohwedder, was northbound on College Drive at approximately 4:30 p.m. when the driver of another vehicle failed to yield the right of way while trying to make a left turn from Bradley Road, police added.
The motorcycle rider collided into the driver’s side of the vehicle, which resulted in major injuries.
He was taken to Marian Regional Medical Center but died due to his injuries.
In early 2025, Knor, the vehicle driver, was charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter, but changed her plea ahead of this month’s planned start of the trial before Judge Sydney Bennett.
As part of the resolution, Knor was sentenced to probation, agreed to pay the restitution requested by Rohwedder’s family, and agreed to surrender her driver’s license, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
During Thursday’s sentencing hearing, members of Rohwedder’s family delivered victim impact statements, sharing “the profound loss and lasting impact of Mason’s death on their lives.”
Along with expressing his condolences to the Rohwedder family, District Attorney John Savrnoch acknowledged the devastating impact of losing a loved one in a preventable traffic collision.
“Mason Rohwedder was just 18 years old when his life was tragically cut short. No criminal proceeding or sentence can undo that loss or take away the pain his family continues to endure,” Savrnoch said.
“We are grateful to Mason’s family for their strength throughout this process and remain committed to holding drivers accountable when their negligence results in the loss of a life.”
At a memorial after he died, family and friends remembered Rohwedder’s love and respect for baseball.
He had played for the Santa Maria Indians and was catcher for the Orcutt Academy High School team.
Rohwedder attended Cuesta College after graduating from Orcutt Academy in June 2024. He previously went to Alice Shaw Elementary and Orcutt Junior High School.
In a letter to the court, Knor said she relives the crash regularly.
“I know my saying sorry isn’t enough to mend your pain and sorrow. I regret this accident and the pain it has caused you,” Knor wrote.
The District Attorney’s Office also recognized “Deputy District Attorney Megan Cooper for her dedication and advocacy throughout the prosecution, Victim Advocate Biannet Garcia for her compassionate support of the Rohwedder family, and the Santa Maria Police Department’s Traffic Bureau for its thorough investigation.”
