Napa Prosecutors Charge Man In Deadly Silverado Trail Crash

NAPA VALLEY, CA — Prosecutors have charged an American Canyon man with manslaughter and driving under the influence following a deadly chain-reaction crash on the Silverado Trail that left three families grieving.

The Napa County District Attorney's Office charged William Dene Brumley, 68, in connection to a March 28 crash that left three people dead and six injured.

Investigators say the crash happened about noon on the 5700 block of the Silverado Trail, just north of Napa and east of Yountville.

According to the California Highway Patrol, a Mitsubishi sedan traveling south sideswiped a northbound BMW SUV before slamming head-on into a Toyota sedan trailing behind it.

Three passengers — Vivian Bertolino, 65, of Napa, Linda Wolters, 62, of American Canyon, and Katrina Clarke, 65, of Sacramento — died in the crash.

Four passengers in the Toyota suffered major injuries, and Brumley—identified as the Mitsubishi’s driver—sustained non-life-threatening injuries before officers arrested him on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Prosecutors suspect Brumley was driving under the influence of a drug when he caused the fatal collision. In a statement, prosecutors said that the crimes involved “great bodily injury and violence, cruelty, viciousness, or callousness,” harmed multiple victims, and reflect an "increasing level of seriousness" following prior poor performance on probation or parole.

The case moved to the Napa County Superior Court, where Brumley was arraigned Wednesday.