Driver in fatal DUI crash sentenced to 15 years in prison

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif. - A woman convicted of vehicular manslaughter in a deadly crash that left a man dead in 2019 has been sentenced to more than 15 years in prison.

Chelsea Annmarie Stiles, 27, was convicted in December of multiple offenses including vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence of a drug causing death.

On Dec. 1, 2019, Stiles was under the influence of cocaine when she rear-ended and disabled a family's car before driving into oncoming traffic on Highway 227 near San Luis Obispo. At a speed of about 68 mph, she crashed head-on with a vehicle driven by 72-year-old Terry Tilton of San Luis Obispo. Tilton was killed in the crash.

In addition to the DUI charges, she also was convicted of fleeing the scene of the crime, misdemeanor possession of cocaine and child abuse. Her 18-month-old daughter and her two dogs were in the vehicle at the time of the crash.

Stiles avoided a murder conviction after the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict, the district attorney's office said.

San Luis Obispo County Assistant District Attorney Eric Dobroth said this case is tragic reminder of the dangers of driving under the influence.

“Driving under the influence of drugs is deadly serious, as this case tragically illustrates,”Dobroth said. “Ms. Stiles' decision to drive in her compromised condition endangered not only the life of her very young daughter within the vehicle, but every other driver on the roadway that evening."

Stiles has been ordered to serve 15 years and eight months in state prison.

The case was investigated by the California Highway Patrol with assistance from the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Bureau of Investigation.

Charging documents related to this case can be found here.