California mother criticizes diversion law tied to son's death case
California vehicular manslaughter laws raise accountability concerns after a fatal crash. See how SB 953 could keep cases visible and protect victims' families.
A California mother is calling for changes to state laws after a driver accused in the crash that killed her son was told she may be eligible for a diversion program that could erase the case from her record.
Allison Lyman says the law, backed under Gov. Gavin Newsom, reduces accountability in misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter cases and can leave families without a sense of justice. Her son, Connor Lopez, died in a motorcycle collision in April 2025.
The article says California statutes now give judges broader authority to consider diversion and other alternatives to jail in some misdemeanor cases. Lyman and state Sen. Roger Niello are pushing SB 953, which would require all vehicular manslaughter cases to be reported to the California Department of Motor Vehicles so they remain visible on driving records.