The California Department of Justice charged Kings County Superior Court Judge Kendra Weber with one count of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence in connection with a Sept. 15, 2025 collision that killed 63-year-old bicyclist Bryan Leroy Garcia. The criminal complaint, filed Sept. 14, 2026, does not specify the underlying act or Vehicle Code violation. The misdemeanor charge falls under Penal Code Sections 192(c)(2) and 193 and can carry up to one year in county jail. Authorities said the driver stayed at the scene and DUI was not suspected; the Attorney General called the filing the result of a thorough investigation.
Kings County Judge Charged With Vehicular Manslaughter After Cyclist's Death, DOJ Says
Photo California Governor's Office
The California Department of Justice has charged Kings County Superior Court Judge Kendra Weber with one count of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence, a year after a 63-year-old bicyclist was killed in a collision in Hanford.
What Happened
The criminal complaint identifies the deceased as 63-year-old Bryan Leroy Garcia. According to the California Highway Patrol, the collision occurred shortly before 7 p.m. on Sept. 15, 2025, at the intersection of Hanford Armona Road and 16th Avenue, when a car struck the rear of Garcia's bicycle, ejecting him. Garcia was not wearing a helmet. The driver remained at the scene, and CHP investigators said they did not suspect driving under the influence.
Charges and Case Filing
The complaint was filed in Kings County Superior Court on Sept. 14, 2026. It alleges Weber caused Garcia's death either while committing an unlawful act that did not rise to a felony or while performing a lawful act in an unlawful manner that might produce death, and that her conduct did not involve gross negligence. The filing does not identify the specific act or Vehicle Code violation alleged to underlie the charge.
Legal Context
Penal Code Section 192(c)(2) covers vehicular manslaughter committed without gross negligence, whether through a non-felony unlawful act or a lawful act carried out in an unlawful manner that could produce death. Under Penal Code Section 193, a conviction for vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in county jail.
Investigation and Official Statements
The Attorney General's Office said the charge followed a thorough investigation into the crash but did not identify any particular Vehicle Code violation in its public announcement. The California Highway Patrol provided the factual summary about the collision and noted the lack of suspected DUI.
About Judge Weber
Governor's Office records show Weber was appointed to the Kings County Superior Court in 2023. Before joining the bench, she served as an administrative law judge with the California Board of Parole Hearings, worked for Kings County Child Support Services, and was a deputy district attorney in the Kings County District Attorney's Office from 2012 through 2016.
Presumption of Innocence: All parties are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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