TUOLUMNE COUNTY, Calif. — A retired police sergeant was found guilty in a deadly DUI crash that killed a social services employee in Tuolumne County, officials said.
District Attorney Cassandra Jenecke confirmed with ABC10 that Theodore Young was found guilty of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. He was also found guilty on charges of driving under the influence causing injury and driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher. Jenecke said an enhancement of having caused a coma or brain injury was also found true.
Notably, Young was found not guilty of second-degree murder. It was a charge pursued by the district attorney's office due to Young having a prior DUI conviction in 2017.
It's a different result than the verdict in People v. Brenda Barrera who was convicted of 2nd degree murder in 2019 after driving under the influence and killing someone. Stephanie Novelli, deputy district attorney for Tuolumne County, addressed the different result.
“Both individuals had a prior DUI conviction. Both individuals chose to consume intoxicating substances. Both individuals chose to drive and killed an innocent person," said Novelli. "I did not believe that there was a difference at filing or throughout the prosecution of the case, which is why I proceeded to trial on the second degree murder charge. I wholeheartedly believe in our system of justice. I have to respect the jury’s determination in this case. The most important thing to remember is that Rebekah Gall, a bright light in this world, was stolen from her community, family and friends by Mr. Young’s choices. Mr. Young is now facing a maximum of 10 years in State Prison for his conduct.”
Rebekah Gall, 27 of Oakdale, was critically injured in the crash and later died from her injuries. Her family told ABC10 that Gall was one of three sisters, an avid hiker, a devoted wife and a confidant to her beloved dog "Chico."
She left for work on Jan. 18, 2022, but never made it back home.
Clint Parish, attorney for Young, said Young has expressed to him multiple times how much sorrow he has for Gall and breaks down regarding his actions every time they speak to one another.
"We are pleased with the verdict. We know there are cases where murder should be charged, but this was not one of them. I believe the DA has a general policy of charging murder in all cases similar, but it is up to the juries to make the decision on a case by case basis. They did so here and reached a just verdict," said Parish.
Young, a former police sergeant with Pleasanton Police Department, is set for sentencing on April 13, 2023 in Tuolumne County Superior Court.
A full statement from Young's attorney is available below.
Ted has expressed to me multiple times how much sorrow he has for young Mrs. Gall. He wrote the family a letter last year and provided it to me. It was my decision not to provide it to the family as all the emotions are still raw. Every time we speak, he breaks down with being ashamed of his actions.
We are pleased with the verdict. We know there are cases where murder should be charged, but this was not one of them. I believe the DA has a general policy of charging murder in all cases similar, but it is up to the juries to make the decision on a case by case basis. They did so here and reached a just verdict.
Ted still faces many years in prison. The judge has a difficult task ahead of him.
Up to January 2022, Ted lived a good life with a tremendous beneficial impact on the lives of others, including talking people out of suicide and walking the Golden Gate Bridge helping distraught people. We have letters from people he sent to prison; they thanked him for how he treated them with respect and how he changed their lives for the better. We have letters from dozens of his former students who indicate how much his time meant to them and made a positive impact on their lives.
That one night changed so many lives. As I have come to know him over the last year I have found that he does not have a hateful or uncaring bone in his body.
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