Possible plea deal delayed in Rohnert Park crosswalk death

Possible resolution of the criminal case was postponed Friday

for

the Sonoma State University student charged in the Rohnert Park crosswalk collision that killed a 2-year-old and severely injured her mother.

Superior Court judge Bradford DeMeo directed lawyers in the case of Kaitlyn Dunaway, 18, to return to his courtroom on Sept. 22. He said he needed time to fully review a proposed settlement of the misdemeanor manslaughter case.

Details of the proposed plea discussions between the judge, defense attorney and prosecutor were not disclosed. Dunaway, who faces up to a year in jail on the manslaughter charge, has not entered a plea.

"It's a question of, is this something that can be worked out?" Dunaway's lawyer, Chris Andrian, said outside court. "(The judge) felt he needed more time to absorb all this."

Dunaway

is accused of killing Calli Murray and injuring her mother, Ling Murray, 42, on Dec. 1 when she ran into them in a crosswalk on Snyder Lane.

Police said Dunaway was distracted because she was text messaging on her cell phone. Prosecutors charged her nearly six months later, on May 19, after a lengthy investigation.

The case has focused attention on a ballooning area of law, distracted-driving cases, and whether cell

phone use

linked to fatalities

should be felon

ies

with more serious punishment.

Outside court Friday, family members of the victims said they were awaiting Gov. Jerry Brown's signature on legislation approved by both houses that would increase fines for talking or texting while driving.

Calli Murray's father, Jeff Murray, said he hopes another bill will allow prosecutors to bring felony charges against drivers who kill or injur

e

someone while using a cell phone.

"We're here because of distracted driving," Murray said outside court. "People need to stop doing it."

His step-father, Al Andres of Delaware, said it kills 5,000 people nationwide each year.

"They're going to have to control it or there will be a lot more people killed," Andres said.

Murray said his wife had surgery last month to remove scar tissue on her knee and was continuing with physical therapy.

He said she is still unable to look at or go near the crosswalk on Snyder Lane, just down the street from their house, where their daughter was killed.

"I avoid the crosswalk when I'm driving with Ling," Murray said. "When I go by it

,

I blow Calli a kiss."