Petaluma Man Pleads No Contest In Crash That Killed Vallejo Woman

A Petaluma man faces eight years in prison after he pleaded no contest this morning in Sonoma County Superior Court to the vehicular manslaughter of a Vallejo woman in June.

Jesse Martin Cockrill’s 2005 Lincoln crossed the double yellow lines on Lakeville Highway in Petaluma around 10 p.m. on June 7 and collided head-on with a 1994 Toyota Camry driven by Betty Osotonu, 65 of Vallejo.

Osotonu died at the scene and her 8-year-old granddaughter was injured.

[Previous: Man Released From Hospital, Arrested for June Crash That Killed Woman, Injured Girl.]

Emergency responders smelled alcohol on Cockrill and found an open alcohol container in his car, Petaluma police said. Cockrill’s blood-alcohol level was 0.16 percent, twice the legal limit, police said.

Cockrill suffered major injuries and was in critical condition following the crash. He was in a wheelchair this morning when he entered his plea and admitted causing great bodily injury on Osotonu and her granddaughter.

Cockrill also admitted crossing a double yellow line, failing to maintain a lane on the highway and that the crash involved multiple victims. Deputy District Attorney Jamie Kandel said Cockrill faces eight years in prison and must serve 85 percent of his term in state prison, not in Sonoma County Jail.

[Previous: Vallejo Woman Killed, Girl, 8, Injured in Saturday’s Fatal Crash; Open Alcohol Found in Other Driver’s Car.]

As part of Cockrill’s no contest plea, the prosecution will dismiss charges of DUI causing bodily injury and DUI with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or greater causing bodily injury.

His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 15. Cockrill has two previous convictions on misdemeanor charges of being drunk and disorderly in 2011 and 2013.

Osotonu’s family attended the court hearing today but deferred commenting on the case until sentencing.

--Bay City News