BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — An emotional courtroom filled Department 1 as family members of 66-year-old Gayla Sue Price delivered victim impact statements Thursday to the driver responsible for her death.
Karim Reyad, 21, was sentenced to eight years in state prison after accepting a plea agreement for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in connection with the 2023 crash that killed Price.
"What happened to my grandmother when I was 16 years old during my sophomore year in high school has made me scared to even learn how to drive," Mya Neilson, one of Price's grandchildren told the court.
Standing just feet away from Reyad, Price's family shared their grief, frustration and lasting trauma caused by the crash.
"What has made this tragedy even harder to live with are the statements that were made after my grandmother's death, causing a terrible amount of additional pain," said Jordan Neilson, another one of Price's grandchildren. "These words showed a complete lack of compassion and respect for good people."
According to prosecutors, Reyad was under the influence of marijuana and driving a Dodge Challenger at speeds exceeding 100 mph when he crashed into Price's Honda Civic, killing her.
During the hearing, Crystal Neilson, Price's daughter, directly addressed Reyad.
"I just have one question. Do you have any remorse for what you did? I just want to know. I've got to find closure because this is hard," she said.
Prosecutors said the plea agreement was reached because of uncertainty over whether they could secure a murder conviction at trial. They said the agreement also took into consideration that Reyad was 18 years old at the time of the crash and argued he lacked the maturity to fully understand the consequences of his actions.
Price's family disagreed with that reasoning, arguing Reyad had a history of reckless driving and was old enough to understand the dangers of driving under the influence.
"It's a slap on the wrist every time," Crystal said. "There are people in the system for little or nothing serving more time. You take a life, and it means nothing to them."
Video recorded inside the Challenger and played in court showed the moments leading up to the crash.
Bakersfield Police Traffic Sgt. Joseph Deutinger said crashes involving young drivers often stem from overconfidence behind the wheel.
"I think with younger drivers specifically, a lot of them feel like maybe their skill level is somewhere that it's not," Deutinger said. "And even if you are a phenomenal driver, you can't control everything else that's happening on the roadway around you."
Several of Price's grandchildren told the court the crash left them fearful of driving or even riding in a vehicle.
"I got to hear kids today saying they're afraid to have to learn how to drive," the judge told Reyad. "You did that."
During sentencing, the judge admonished Reyad for his actions and urged him to carefully consider whether he should ever drive again after his release.
"Although it's ironic, the DMV only suspends your license for about three years," the judge said. "You'll still be in custody at that point. I would think long and hard before I ever got behind the wheel of a car."
Had the case gone to trial, Reyad could have faced a murder conviction. However, prosecutors said there was also the possibility that a jury could have convicted him of lesser charges, resulting in an even lighter sentence.
Although the plea agreement fell far short of what they had hoped for, Price's family said they are now trying to move forward after spending the past three years preparing for trial. They said they had hoped a trial would provide closure, but now plan to focus on supporting one another and honoring Price's memory.
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