Blog Post

Kenwood Woman Charged in Drunk Driving Accident


April 25, 2008
Topic: Drunk Driving Accidents

A Kenwood woman will go to trial for gross vehicular manslaughter after a judge ruled that there was enough evidence against her in a drunk driving accident that killed a Santa Rosa, California resident. The woman, Chelsea Tedeschi, was under the influence at the time of the crash, which occurred on July 17.

The drunk driving accident occurred a mile east of Oakmont, California on Highway 12. The victim, Jane Beverly Todd, was riding in a car being driven by her 16-year-old son Doug. According to his testimony, the two of them were returning to Santa Rosa when an incoming car veered into his lane. He tried to swerve into the eastbound lane to avoid her, but the cars collided anyway. Tedeschi's car ended up 100 feet away from the point of impact.

Jane Beverly Todd died at the scene of the drunk driving accident. Tedeschi was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment of her injuries, and was given a blood alcohol test. The readings were 0.19 percent, 0.20 percent and 0.22 percent.

Tedeschi admitted to officers that she had had two glasses of Chardonnay over dinner with her mom, and had two vodka shots after that in her apartment, before the drunk driving accident. She had also taken an anti-depressant pill. She also admitted that she shouldn't have been driving.

Well, it's a little late for that moment of truth. This hindsight clarity doesn't bring back Jane Beverly Todd, and it doesn't help her family deal with her loss.

Tadeschi's attorneys have come up with a drunk driving defense that's sure to tug at the heartstrings. Apparently, Tedeschi was recovering from an abusive relationship, and had been on anti-depressants at the time of the drunk driving accident. Surely the doctor who prescribed her anti-depressants did not advise her to take the pill, mix it up with some vodka and a little Chardonnay and go right ahead and drive off at night.

There's a little thing called accountability for your actions that this young woman has obviously not heard of. When she gets into a car dizzy from all the pills and alcohol in her, she takes responsibility for any drunk driving accidents that may happen on the road. People have relationship problems. They break up. They get depressed. If we begin to use that as an excuse for drunk driving accidents, we insult the memory of those who died needlessly as a result of their behavior. Why did Jane Todd have to pay for any personal problems Tedeschi had? There are so many things she will never be able to do now - watch her son graduate from college, weep at his wedding, see her grandkids. And all because a woman who should have known better chose to take no responsibility for her actions.

As expected, Tadeschi has pleaded not guilty charges related to the drunk driving accident. The Todds, however, have moved ahead with a wrongful death lawsuit against Tadeschi. That case will come up in September.

If you have been the victim in a drunk driving accident, you need the help of an experienced California personal injury lawyer. Contact an attorney at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.


The California personal injury attorneys at The Reeves Law Group represent victims of accidents, injuries and wrongful death throughout California from our offices in Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Ventura County, Fresno County, Kern County, Sacramento County, San Fernando Valley, Long Beach, Antelope Valley, Torrance, Glendale, Bakersfield, Santa Ana, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Ontario, and Victorville.