MODESTO, Calif. — 27-year-old Rebekah Gall, of Oakdale, had her whole life ahead of her until she was struck by an alleged drunk driver and suffered critical injuries. Three days later, she died.
"We're always going to feel empty. We are always going to feel like something is missing," said Rebekah's sister, Elizabeth Gamez.
Gall was one of three sisters and an avid hiker who loved to visit with family and friends. She was a confidant to her beloved dog, "Chico" and a devoted wife.
Last June, she got a job with the Tuolumne County Department of Social Services. But, on Tuesday, Jan. 18 after leaving work, she never made it home.
As she drove her car around 5:15 P.M. along Highway 108 near Chicken Ranch Road in Jamestown, she was struck and seriously injured.
"She was the best sister to me, always great with advice. I always came to her for advice. For my friends, she was always there for them," Gamez said.
The Sonora California Highway Patrol says Theodore Young is the man who hit her. According to the Tuolumne County District Attorney's Office, Young is a retired Pleasanton Police Department sergeant with a prior DUI conviction from 2017.
At the time, he was notified that if he killed someone while drunk, he could face possible murder charges.
Recently, the DA said a complaint would be filed for murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence causing brain injury, and driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher causing brain injury with a prior DUI conviction.
"After reviewing the facts of this case, we believe that Young drove with implied malice when he killed Rebekah," Tuolumne County District Attorney Cassandra Jenecke said in a statement. "As soon as we learned of Rebekah’s tragic passing and that Young had already bailed on the 'driving under the influence causing injury' charge for which he was originally arrested, we knew something needed to be done immediately to protect our community."
Despite Young's history as a police sergeant, Jenecke said he'll be going through the justice system just as any other defendant would. She said that, as a retired sergeant, Young should've known better and said that her office will be going through his training records to learn more about what he should have known.
"I don't know all the evidence in the case, so I would rather not comment on him at this time," Gamez said. "But, as for everybody else, if you're thinking of drinking and driving, please don't."
Gamez says a few of her sister's organs were recovered to be donated.
"Somebody out there is going to get a second chance. She did not have one," Gamez said.
Anyone with information on this case can call Sonora CHP Investigating Officer Elliott Lopez at (209) 984-3944.
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