Lacey Strange, the 18-year-old daughter of a Lompoc police officer, entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of vehicular manslaughter in a Santa Barbara courtroom on Oct. 25.
Strange, who faces one misdemeanor count in connection with the death of Lompoc resident Becky Vegas, was not in court for the hearing. Her attorney, Catherine Swynsen, entered the plea in her absence.
The prosecution team, led by Santa Barbara County Deputy District Attorney Chris Linz, contends Strange was behind the wheel when she struck and killed Vegas, 56, while the victim was in a crosswalk at the intersection of West Ocean Avenue and J Street in Lompoc on May 13. Following a months-long investigation, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s office filed charges against Strange on Aug. 26. According to the D.A.’s complaint, prosecutors contend Strange killed Vegas “lawfully and without malice” when she failed to properly yield the right of way at the crosswalk.
Both sides searched for months for a judge to take the case. Judge James Iwasko in Lompoc and Judge Patricia Kelly in Santa Maria both recused themselves because of their familiarity with the defendant’s father, Sgt. Chuck Strange of the Lompoc Police Department.
On Oct. 11, Judge Edward Bullard granted a motion brought by both the prosecution and defense to transfer the case to Santa Barbara, where connections to the defendant’s family would be less likely. The case will remain in Santa Barbara, where a settlement conference is scheduled for Nov. 15.
If convicted, Strange faces up to one year in county jail, five years of probation, and the possible suspension of her driver’s license for a maximum of one year.
This article appears in Nov 3-9, 2011.