An 83-year-old woman has been charged in Santa Barbara County Superior Court in Santa Maria with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter in connection with a fatal crash involving a motorcyclist in the fall.
A complaint filed late last month charged Lana Olivia Knor of Orcutt with one criminal count for the collision that occurred in southeastern Santa Maria.
At 4:30 p.m. Oct. 24, officers responded to a crash at 2673 S. College Drive for a report of a crash involving two vehicles, Santa Maria police said.
Officers discovered that a motorcyclist had been driving northbound on College Drive at Bradley Road when the driver of another vehicle failed to yield the right of way while trying to make a left turn, 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 from his injuries.
An 18-year-old, Mason Rohwedder, was named as the motorcyclist killed in the crash.
Days later, family and friends gathered at a Santa Maria baseball field to remember Rohwedder, a former Santa Maria Indians and Orcutt Academy High School catcher.
He attended Cuesta College after graduating from Orcutt Academy in June. He previously went to Alice Shaw Elementary and Orcutt Junior High School.
The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office sent a letter instructing Knor to show up at 8:30 a.m. next Thursday for an arraignment hearing at the Santa Maria Court Complex.