Santa Barbara County man sentenced to federal prison for causing a fatal car crash while intoxicated

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- A Santa Barbara County man was sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison on Wednesday for crashing a stolen Jeep – killing one person and severely injuring another – while under the influence of drugs, according to the United States Department of Justice.

Michael James Culligan, 30 of Lompoc, drove a stolen jeep on Vandenberg Air Force Base property on June 16, 2020, according to Thom Mrozek, director of media relations for the United States Attorney's Office.

Culligan veered onto the right shoulder of the road and the car swerved into oncoming traffic, colliding head-on with a Lexus sedan and killing its driver, Mrozek said.

The passenger of the Lexus was also seriously injured, he added.

Culligan climbed out of the Jeep's sunroof and fled the scene after the crash, and law enforcement later found him hiding in a drainpipe, according to Mrozek.

Mrozek said that court documents showed that Culligan was under the influence of narcotics at the time of the accident, and he admitted to using drugs before operating the vehicle, crashing the Jeep, and fleeing the scene during his post-arrest interview.

Culligan pled guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter in September.

Culligan has been in federal custody since June 2020, and was sentenced by United States Judge André Birotte Jr. on Wednesday.

“The severity and tragedy of [Culligan’s] conduct cannot be overstated,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum.

“His disregard for the safety of the community was staggering. Driving a stolen car while drunk and high is the very epitome of recklessness and, sadly, [Culligan’s] conduct had consequences.”

The U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations investigated the matter with the assistance of the California Highway Patrol and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.