Murder Charge Dismissed In Fatal Oxnard DUI Crash Case

Monday September 30, 2024

     Update--A Ventura County judge Monday dismissed the second degree murder charge against the defendant in a fatal Oxnard DUI crash but he is still facing gross vehicular manslaughter and other injury-related DUI charges in connection with the incident.

     The judge's granting of the defense request to dismiss second degree murder against 36-year-old Nathaniel Wills cames after the jury hearing his first trial last week deadlocked on that and several other charges stemming from the January 2021 crash on Rose Avenue in Oxnard.

     But the judge granted a prosecution motion to move forward with a retrial with a new jury on the vehicular manslaughter and DUI causing injury charges.

     And Wills has already been convicted for driving on a suspended license due to a prior DUI conviction.

     In the solo vehicle crash Wills, who already had four prior DUI convictions, was allegedly drunk and speeding when he crashed killing one of his passengers and seriously injuring two others.

     Both sides will be back in court on October 24th for a pretrial conference on the retrial of the remaining counts.

     Meanwhile, Wills remains in the Ventura County Jail with bail set at $250,000.