A motorist who killed a Navy man on his motorcycle in National City has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter.
Darla Renee Jackson, 27, of Imperial Beach, was to have stood trial Jan. 23 on a murder charge in the May 28, 2015, death of Zacharias Edward Buob, 39, of Santee.
Sentencing was set for April 14 by Chula Vista Superior Court Judge Francis Devaney, who indicated in court he would consider sentencing her to either three years or six years in prison.
Deputy District Attorney Laura Evans said the maximum sentence is 11 years in prison. A murder charge was dismissed after Jackson pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Buob was stationed at Coronado at the time of his death. He was a Navy SEAL and has a memorial on the findagrave.com website.
Jackson was charged with murder and not vehicular manslaughter because it was alleged she chased the victim and pushed Buob’s motorcycle some 300 feet on state Route 54, according to Deputy District Attorney Laura Evans.
This occurred after Buob reportedly kicked Jackson’s car after she crossed all lanes of traffic. Witnesses said Jackson sped by the motorcycle on northbound Interstate 5 near E Street before they both traveled on Route 54 into National City.
Jackson’s Nissan Altima struck the motorcycle and the radiator curved into the motorcycle, lifting up its back tire and it looked like the car was pushing the motorcycle, according to a California Highway Patrol officer. Buob was run over at 5:30 p.m.
Jackson remains in the Las Colinas Women’s Detention Facility on $1 million bail.
