'Grief-Stricken' San Mateo Co. Woman, 23, Sentenced For Death Of Senior Hit By Van

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA -- The defense attorney for a woman sentenced Tuesday for misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter said his client suffers a great deal of grief over the collision that killed an 84-year-old woman in 2014.

Sonia Toor, 23, was sentenced to six months in jail and three years of probation after pleading no contest to misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter for hitting and killing Nina Falk with her minivan, San Mateo County prosecutors said today.

"She is suffering tremendous grief over this. Not a day goes by that she isn't having nightmares about this horrible tragedy and the result of this accident," said Jeff Jackson, Toor's defense attorney. "It is a tragedy that the woman died. My thoughts and my client's thoughts go out to the family. This was a terrible accident."

Toor was driving a green Nissan minivan at about 2:45 p.m. on Nov. 14, 2014, at a Walgreen's drive-thru window at 191 E. Third Ave. in San Mateo when she decided to back up quickly.

The Nissan struck Falk, who was stepping off a curb, prosecutors said. Falk died a day later at a hospital, according to police.
Prosecutors had said a blood test showed that Toor was under the influence of drugs, but Jackson said court proceedings revealed that Toor was not under the influence. Jackson said prosecutors dismissed the DUI allegation.

In addition to her jail term and probation, Toor will have to pay restitution to the victim's estate in an amount yet to be determined, abstain from alcohol and drugs including marijuana, submit to drug tests, search and seizure, get counseling as directed, and possess no deadly weapons or ammunition, prosecutors said.

Toor's driver's license will be revoked and she'll have to pay fees and fines related to her case.

She pleaded no contest on April 11 to misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter and a misdemeanor probation violation as part of a plea deal. 

Prosecutors had sought a nine-month jail sentence but San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Lee instead sentenced her to six months.

Toor is out of custody on a $250,000 bond. She must report to jail on Aug. 6, prosecutors said.

"My client backed up without looking and caused the accident," Jackson said. "Again, my thoughts go out to the victim's family."

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--Bay City News