Sharbel Touma Sentenced to Three Years, Four Months for February 2023 Crash That Killed Two

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – Sharbel Touma of Oxnard was sentenced to three years and four months in connection with a February 2023 crash that killed Samuel Castro and Anette Gomez.

Touma previously pled guilty to two felony counts of vehicular manslaughter on March 16, 2026, and prosecutors objected to this week's sentencing arguing for a five year, four month prison term shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office in a press release Monday.

On February 12, 2023, around 12:06 a.m., Samuel Castro was driving westbound on West Fifth Street in Oxnard with Anette Gomez in the vehicle's passenger seat stated the local district attorney's office.

According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, Castro was attempting a U-turn from the number two lane and while crossing in front of the number one lane, his vehicle was broadsided by Touma's westbound vehicle in the number one lane.

Event Data Recorder information obtained from Touma's vehicle showed he was traveling 108.73 miles per hour one second before the fatal impact on February 12, 2023, and surveillance video captured the collision noted the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

"Based on the defendant's extreme speed, the preventable nature of this tragedy, and the fact that
two lives were lost, we respectfully asked the court to impose five years, four months in state
prison," Chief Deputy District Attorney Paul Nuñez said during court proceedings.

Touma was remanded into the custody of deputies following his sentencing and, in addition to his prison term, the court ordered that he be prohibited from driving during his parole added the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.