Guilty plea entered in crash that killed pregnant woman on Hwy 99E
The man responsible for the October death of a pregnant 22-year-old Chico woman in a vehicle crash pleaded guilty in Tehama County Superior Court to two counts of gross negligence vehicular manslaughter on April 28.
'The case stems from a horrific collision caused by Tucker on October 15, 2024 wherein Ruth Kibbe and her unborn child were killed and a second motorist injured on Highway 99E in the Vina area,' said Tehama County District Attorney Matt Rogers.
Andre Jordon Tucker, 44, was driving a 1997 Ford Expedition south of Highway 99E at a high rate of speed when he reportedly crossed the center line into the northbound lanes and crashed into a 2015 Honda Accord driven by Mirna Rodriguez, 56, of Gerber.
Tucker then collided head-on with a 2012 Toyota Prius driven by Kibbe, reported the California Highway Patrol.
Kibbe and her unborn child suffered fatal injuries in the crash, according to the D.A.s office.
Rodriguez suffered minor injuries.
Tucker was arrested and treated at Enloe Medical Center previous to being booked into the Tehama County Jail on suspicion of causing injury while driving under the influence and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
As part of the plea agreement, the Tehama County D.A.s Office required Tucker to make two statements in court at the time of his plea hearing.
'Tucker was required to give a sincere and detailed explanation as to why he drove in the manner he did and the circumstances leading up to his having caused this horrific incident,' Rogers said. 'Tucker was also required by the District Attorney's Office to provide a sincere and detailed explanation of what he plans to do in the future and how he plans to ensure that he will be a productive and safe member of society.'
According to the D.A.'s office, Tucker stated his vehicle was experiencing mechanical issues, that he was angry at having been detoured from his typical route home and acknowledged having illegally passed a vehicle in Los Molinos prior to the collision. He also acknowledged he was looking at this cell phone at the time of the collision.
Tucker returns to Tehama County Superior Court for sentencing at 10:30 a.m., on June 3, where he is facing a possible maximum sentence of five years, four months in state prison. He remains in Tehama County Jail without bail pending sentencing.
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