‘Heartbroken’ family mourns loss of Sebastopol woman struck by vehicle

A 27-year-old Sebastopol woman who suffered grievous injuries one week ago when she was struck by a car as she crossed Bodega Avenue in a wheelchair remained unresponsive and on life support Thursday as a medical team at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital prepared to grant her family's wish for her organs to be donated.

Julie Reibel, a graduate of Analy High School and Santa Rosa Junior College, was on her way to or from a second day as a volunteer tutor at Brook Haven Middle School about 10:10 a.m. Aug. 24 when she was struck, according to police and her uncle, Kenny Reibel of Rohnert Park.

'We are too heartbroken,' said Reibel, whose niece used a wheelchair because of mobility challenges caused by cerebral palsy. 'She was an angel. She just continued to give in incredible ways considering her own struggles.'

Sebastopol Police Chief Jeff Weaver said investigators are still weeks away from completing their inquiry into the crash and were not releasing any additional details about their findings, including whether Reibel was in the intersection's crosswalk when she was struck. Weaver also declined to identify the driver, a 79-year-old Sebastopol man.

'We're just trying to ensure the complete integrity of the investigation based on its seriousness — we want independent witnesses,' Weaver said. 'We're not identifying the driver in case a witness might know him, and that might bias what they say. We want them to reiterate the facts as they saw them on the ground.'

On Thursday, officers were back at the intersection of Ragle Avenue South and Bodega Avenue with an optical device used to create a digital model of the scene. They are still processing physical evidence including Reibel's motorized wheel chair and the vehicle involved, a silver Kia.

On Aug. 24, Reibel had left her home on Gross Court and was crossing Bodega Avenue, heading south away from the middle school when she was struck by a silver Kia, according to police and her family. Weaver declined to say what respective directions Reibel and the driver were heading.

Bodega Avenue is a busy thoroughfare for the city, and the speed limit is 40 mph where the crash occurred. The intersection is uncontrolled. A crosswalk extends north to south across Bodega Avenue on the western side of the intersection, and parallel white lines caution approaching drivers in each direction.

The driver of the silver Kia stopped immediately after the crash in an eastbound lane of Bodega Avenue, just east of the intersection. Fire officials said they estimated Reibel had been thrown about 75 feet by the impact.

Officers observed no signs either the driver or Reibel were under the influence of any substance, but both were tested to be sure, and results weren't yet available, Weaver said.

If it's found the driver violated the law, even a traffic infraction, he could potentially be charged with vehicular manslaughter.

Since May 2009, there have been two vehicle crashes resulting in injuries at the Sebastopol intersection, one involving a pedestrian and the other with a cyclist, according to Weaver. In both cases, police determined the motorists were not at fault, he said. Weaver said he checked crash records for the intersection to determine if there was a pattern of incidents at the location.

'I know there is much community concern because of the seriousness of the injuries to this young lady,' Weaver said.

Reibel is the only child of Karen and James 'Jimi' Reibel, according to Kenny Reibel.

He said his niece was a country music aficionado, an animal advocate and an inspiration for the cheerful and determined way she met the challenges that came with living with cerebral palsy.

'She graduated college, I didn't,' he said. 'She was sharp as a tack.'

Reibel graduated from Analy High in 2008 and went on to earn an associate degree in social and behavioral sciences and community health from the Santa Rosa Junior College.

In 2006, Reibel was one of 59 California students invited to attend the annual Youth Leadership Forum for students with disabilities sponsored by the Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, according to a Press Democrat profile of Reibel at the time.

In an interview for the story, Reibel told a reporter she wanted to become a teacher or a nurse and someday hoped to join the Peace Corps and do things to serve others.

'I've always wanted to make a difference in the world. I'm doing a lot of research on it. I want a challenging job,'' she said.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 707-521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Julie Reibel was heading south across Bodega Avenue when she was struck by a car, according to police. Her intended destination is not clear. An earlier version of this story incorrectly described the direction Reibel was traveling.