Misdemeanor Charges For Fatal Mitchell Katz Collision: Report

LIVERMORE, CA — Alameda County prosecutors have filed misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter chargesagainst a man accused of causing the collision that killed 59-year-old Livermore winery owner Mitchell Katz in July, Pleasanton Weekly reported.

Emilio Chambers Cruz, 27, of Westley in Stanislaus County, was charged Jan. 29, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to The Weekly. Patch reached out to the district attorney’s office for further information.

The fatal collision occurred July 21, 2023 on East Avenue at Mitra Street in Livermore, when Katz’s SUV collided with Cruz’s Subaru during a lane change, according to an initial report from the Livermore Police Department. Further investigation from the Livermore Police Department alleged that Cruz lost control of his car while driving erratically, though alcohol and drugs were not determined to be a factor. The investigation also determined that Katz was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision.

Katz was the long-time owner of Mitchell Katz Winery, located on South Vasco Road. Katz opened the winery in 1998 and named it after his 96-year-old grandfather, who devoted more than 50 years to home winemaking, according to the winery's website. The winery is “dedicated exclusively to single-vineyard wines that capture the essence of each vineyard.”

See here for the full Pleasanton Weekly report.

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