Highway Death Results in Murder Charge
A Palmdale man with a lengthy record of drunk driving was charged Tuesday with second-degree murder for an alcohol-related collision that killed a woman and her unborn child.
Brian E. Sass, 24, was charged with the murder of Beverly Ryan, 28, of Palmdale, but not with the murder of her 5-month-old fetus. The district attorney’s office said that if the coroner determines that the fetus could have survived outside the mother’s womb, Sass could also be charged with that death.
Sass was arraigned in Antelope Valley Municipal Court on one count each of second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter and hit and run driving and two counts of drunk driving.
Prosecutors said that Sass last Thursday night drove his pickup truck into oncoming traffic on Sierra Highway near Palmdale and slammed head-on into Ryan’s vehicle.
Prosecutors said Sass has four previous convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol. In addition, arrest warrants have been issued for him in three other cases.
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